Six criminals have been slammed with hefty prison sentences totalling over 60 years at Bolton Crown Court for a massive drug import plot. The gang tried to smuggle class A and B drugs worth more than £1 million into the UK.
“For Goats Not Drugs” – A Dodgy Excuse
During the trial, two defendants bizarrely claimed money transfers to a man in Jamaica were “for goats, not drugs.” The Jamaican contact had previously been deported from the UK. Police didn’t buy the story.
Operation Image Cracks Drug Ring
This all came to light after the UK Border Force intercepted 8 kilos of pure cocaine from Jamaica in March 2024. The haul was bound for homes across Greater Manchester. Following the May 2025 arrests, police raided homes in Gorton, Didsbury, and Stockport in December. In Gorton, they found 4 kilos more cocaine, thousands of MDMA and 2CB pills, a kilo of cannabis, and a whopping £100,000 cash stash.
Meet the Masterminds Behind the Drug Plot
- Darren Bailey, 44 – Stockport ringleader caught for multiple drug offences, sentenced to 19 years.
- Nathan Charles, 33 – Gorton-based conspirator, 17 years inside.
- Adrian Stephenson, 34 – From Bury, got 9.5 years for conspiring to import class A drugs.
- Panashe Nyamariwata, 27 – Salford man sentenced to 6 years.
- Charlene Bellamy, 41 – From Oldham, received 5 years.
- Kamica Morris, 29 – Manchester-based, jailed for 4 years.
Meanwhile, Hannah Conlon, 32, faces sentencing next month at Liverpool Crown Court. She was caught with over 3 kilos of cannabis shipped from America to be delivered to her Bury home. Police praised the operation for smashing this dangerous drug ring and cutting off the supply to Greater Manchester.
