A gang of drug dealers led by a world champion cage fighter have been jailed after dealing millions of pounds worth of Class A narcotics.
The gang flooded the north east with cocaine, amphetamine and cannabis, and would disguise batches in shoeboxes as presents for children.
The cross-country network was set up by kingpin Darren Towler, 41, with people he met while serving an earlier prison sentence for supplying drugs, a court heard.
Eleven people appeared in court for their role in the conspiracy to bring kilos of drugs from Merseyside into County Durham before they were distributed throughout the region.
Former world champion cage fighter Towler, the head of the gang is still on the run after being convicted in his absence of orchestrating the conspiracy alongside his sister, half-brother and girlfriend.
Judge Jonathan Carroll said the fact that the purity of the cocaine – between 90 per cent and 95 per cent – proved how high up the gangs were in the drug supply network.
Detectives were unable to put an exact figure on the amount of drugs and cash that flowed across the country but they traced more than ten trips between the North East and North West over a five-month period in 2017.
Their investigations showed there were multiple kilos of drugs exchanged for hundreds of thousands of pounds – including more than £100,000 wrapped up in two shoe boxes disguised as presents for children.
Towler, 41, of Rutherford Street, Newcastle, was found guilty of conspiracy to supply cocaine and amphetamine but admitted the same charge for cannabis. He was jailed for 24 years.
His half-brother, Jonathan Kitson, 28, of Riding Hill, Great Lumley, pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charges and a separate charge involving cannabis. He was jailed for nine years and 11 months.
Jodie Smith, 42, of Main Street, Consett, the former partner of Towler, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs. She was jailed for six years and six months.
While his sister, Anita Towler, 43, of Second Street, Consett, pleaded guilty to the same charge. She will be sentenced next month.
The other members of the network pleading guilty to drug charges were Aaron Merritt, 29, of Hallgarth, Consett who was jailed for 29 months; 40-year-old Craig Field, of Lincoln Place, Consett, pleaded guilty to supplying cocaine and was jailed for five years and seven months; and John Huscroft, 45, of Thornhill Gardens, Burnopfield, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to supply. He was given a 22-month sentence, suspended for two years.
Steven Ruddick, 38, of Pasture Row, Eldon, near Bishop Auckland, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine. He will be sentenced next month.
While his 29-year-old step-brother Daniel Mappin, of Front Street, Tudhoe, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine and an additional charge of supplying heroin.
He was jailed for five years and four months.
Ricky Hemmings and John Edward Campbell, both from Kirkby, in Merseyside, admitted the conspiracy charges relating to unknown quantities of cocaine and amphetamines.
Hemmings, 40, was jailed for 13 years and six months and 48-year-old Campbell was jailed for six years and eight months.
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