Drug Lords Locked Up in Major Cocaine and Amphetamine Bust
Six criminals have been jailed for their roles in smuggling tonnes of high-purity cocaine and amphetamines into the region. Two more await sentencing after a lengthy 22-week trial that exposed their vast drug empire.
The Cocaine Conspiracy Unveiled
John Allcock, the drugs mastermind, and his gang denied involvement throughout the trial. But police had been tailing their operations from January 2017 to May 2018.
- Officers seized over £120,000 in cash.
- They confiscated 65 kilos of cannabis and mixing agents.
- Class A drugs valued at hundreds of thousands were recovered.
Detectives from the North East Regional Special Operations Unit (NERSOU) monitored Allcock and his right-hand man Carl McAlindon as they sourced drugs from a North West crime syndicate. Allcock frequently travelled to Liverpool and Manchester, even visiting industrial units used to stash amphetamines before distributing them via couriers.
Undercover Surveillance and High-Stakes Arrests
To avoid the cops, the gang held secret face-to-face meetings, used encrypted devices, and employed clever tricks. Their cover was blown when Liverpool courier Paul Marrow was nabbed on the A1 in Durham with a hidden compartment in his van holding £180,000 worth of pure cocaine.
Later, nearly £50,000 in cash was discovered hidden beneath a van boot lining during a vehicle stop in Lincolnshire. Further arrests followed in 2018. Baber Azim was caught carrying cash and a kilo of cocaine in Cleveland, while Glen Stoddart was found with £250,000 worth of cannabis in Swansea.
Allcock, who’d been hiding in Spain, was finally arrested with National Crime Agency help. The entire gang faced multiple drugs and money laundering charges at Newcastle Crown Court.
Sentences Handed Down to Notorious Gang
Following a gruelling four-month trial, two men pleaded guilty and six were convicted in February. Last Friday, Newcastle Crown Court sent six of them to prison:
- John Allcock, 52, Durham – 21 years for conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs and money laundering.
- Carl McAlindon, 36, Jarrow – 13 years for conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs plus money laundering.
- Bernard Sewell, 41, Hebburn – 4½ years for conspiracy to supply Class B drugs.
- Mark Hiscock, 46, South Shields – 1 year for money laundering.
- David McFarlane, 53, Jarrow – 1 year for money laundering.
- Glen Stoddart, 53, Hartlepool – 5½ years for conspiracy to supply Class B drugs, money laundering, and organised crime participation.
Paul Marrow, 62, Liverpool, and Baber Azim, 43, Slough, pled guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and money laundering but will be sentenced later.
The crackdown sends a clear warning: drug crime won’t be tolerated, and those involved will face serious jail time.
