Drug Lords Busted in Massive Crackdown – Jailed for 35 Years Total!
Kingpin and Crew Busted in UK’s Biggest Drug Sting
Four men behind a ruthless drug ring have been locked up for a combined 35 years after a huge police investigation. Dean Criscuolo, 35, Christopher Brooks, 31, Kerran Boylan, 32, and Ben Dalton, 33, were sentenced on 31 May at Guildford Crown Court after pleading guilty to multiple drug offences.
How Operation Venetic Brought Down the Gang
The gang was exposed thanks to Operation Venetic — the National Crime Agency’s (NCA) nationwide blitz following the takedown of encrypted comms platform EncroChat. Surrey Police’s Serious Organised Crime Unit received intelligence revealing the men were targeting vulnerable drug users across Surrey, Sussex, and London.
Police swooped in April 2021, raiding Criscuolo’s Godstone home. They seized phones and £500 cash. Criscuolo was identified as the ringleader, running the entire illegal operation and negotiating wholesale drug supplies to dealers across the county.
Criminal Network Unraveled: Dealers and ‘Chemist’ Included
- Kerran Boylan, caught at his Oxted address, had large amounts of white powder and £1,780 cash.
- Ben Dalton was revealed as another dealer working directly for Criscuolo after phone and vehicle searches.
- Christopher Brooks acted as the gang’s ‘chemist,’ mixing cocaine to boost supply for street dealers.
Heavy Sentences for Serious Crime
Sentences were handed down as follows:
- Dean Criscuolo – 13 years and 6 months
- Kerran Boylan – 7 years and 8 months
- Christopher Brooks – 7 years and 1 month
- Ben Dalton – 6 years and 9 months
“Operation Venetic gave us the breakthrough we desperately needed to take down serious organised crime and drug dealers,” said Detective Constable Arun Sharma. “Criscuolo and his gang were preying on vulnerable users while masquerading as respectable barbers and electricians. Surrey Police’s Serious Organised Crime Unit continues to fight hard against drug crime in the area.”
