Eight members of a ruthless organised crime gang have been slammed behind bars for running a huge Class A and B drug ring across Flintshire. Mold Crown Court handed down a whopping total of more than 47 years in jail to the group today, Thursday 22 January.
Operation Zero Nabs Kingpin and Crew
The gang, led by 42-year-old Lee Rigby from Sandycroft, peddled cocaine, ketamine, and cannabis on a large scale. Rigby was caught sourcing kilos of drugs from suppliers and organising local distribution.
His right-hand man, Mark Poh, also 42 and living at the same address, packaged and weighed the drugs. Poh was seen meeting suppliers to hand over cash. Rigby’s half-brother, Daniel Carroll, funded the operation and used his home as a cash stash.
Family Ties and Downstream Dealers
- Wesley Rigby, Lee’s 21-year-old son, and Frank Jones, 35, acted as key street-level dealers.
- Jack Harpur, 31, stored cash and supplied smaller drug quantities.
Earlier this year, women Katie Williams and Claire Clegg were caught hiding money, while Jessica Lett got caught selling cocaine and cannabis. All three got 12-month community orders plus rehab sessions.
Sentences Handed Down
- Lee Rigby: 16 years 3 months for conspiracy to supply Class A & B drugs
- Mark Poh: 14 years for conspiracy to supply Class A & B drugs
- Adam Hill, 39: 5 years 8 months for conspiracy
- Frank Jones: 5 years 10 months for conspiracy
- Stephen Lowe, 32: 5 years 10 months for conspiracy
- Wesley Rigby: 2 years suspended for conspiracy
- Daniel Carroll: 6 months suspended for transferring criminal property
- Jack Harpur: 2 years suspended for conspiracy
The North Wales Police Serious and Organised Crime Unit’s lengthy probe, dubbed Operation Zero, cracked the gang’s day-to-day drug dealings between December 2022 and November 2023. The investigation involved detailed surveillance and intelligence gathering, closing down a major criminal enterprise.
Flintshire’s streets are a little safer tonight as police lock up some of the worst offenders behind bars.
