Drug Dealer Busted in Bristol Tied to Gloucester Crime Ring
Assane Simpson, 26, from Knowle, Bristol, has been locked up after a phone-linked tip-off connected him to Gloucester drug lord Aaron James—who was sentenced earlier this month.
Phone Chat Unmasks Bulk Drug Supply
Gloucestershire Constabulary’s specialist drugs team, alongside Avon and Somerset Police, cracked the case wide open. Forensic phone analysis revealed detailed conversations between Simpson and James, showing their wholesale heroin and cocaine deals before James’s February arrest.
- Simpson sent James a photo of a quarter-kilo of heroin, marking parts he found unsatisfactory.
- Texts also discussed selling half a kilo of cocaine for £19,000 and half a kilo of heroin in Cheltenham for £50,000.
Widespread Drug Network and Evidence Found
Police believe Simpson acted as a mid-to-high level dealer, supplying bulk quantities to street-level dealers. Earlier, officers in Exeter recovered half a kilo of heroin with Simpson’s fingerprints on the packaging, showing his reach across the region.
At Simpson’s home, police found drug scales with heroin and cocaine traces. He was arrested on the M4 near Swindon in June. Despite pleading not guilty, a Gloucester Crown Court jury convicted him after just an hour’s deliberation.
Lengthy Sentence Sends a Warning
Simpson was handed nine and a half years for conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine, involvement in cocaine supply, and possession of false ID. Aaron Levi James, 32, from Gloucester, got nine years earlier this month after pleading guilty to Class A drug offences.
Detective Chief Inspector Neil Smith said: “This was another outstanding investigation by our officers, with great assistance from Avon and Somerset colleagues. Exploitative drug networks remain a top priority for Gloucestershire Constabulary. The pain and harm dealers cause is abhorrent. We will continue to use all resources to identify, target, and disrupt them.”
Investigator PC Andrew Smetham added: “Assane Simpson, aka Andre, Reds or Big Reds, is now off Bristol’s streets. Illegal drugs bring misery. This hefty sentence should serve as a warning—crime does not pay.”
