Courier Gang Busted After 20 Drug Runs Across Devon
Eight men and one woman carried out 20 drug courier runs over nine months in 2020 before Devon & Cornwall Police shut down their operation.
EncroChat Messages Unravel Major Cocaine Ring
Detectives from the Serious and Organised Crime Branch tracked the gang using the EncroChat platform. They monitored online chats and movements in the Southwest for months before launching a sting in October 2020.
The nine gang members were sentenced at Exeter Crown Court over three days for conspiracy to supply cocaine and related crimes.
Operation Lunched: Two Years, Dozens of Convictions
This marked the end of Operation Lunched, a lengthy probe into cocaine and cannabis trafficking into Devon. So far, 10 people linked to the gang have been jailed for over 30 years combined.
Kingpins Do Big Time Drug Deals Across Torquay and Exeter
- Stacy Howells, 45, Torquay: Sentenced to 13 years 10 months.
- Anthony Carr, 46, North Finchley, London: Sentenced to 10 years 4 months.
These two masterminded the import of 50-60kg of cocaine, coordinating drug runs, collections, and cash flow.
Supporting Cast Also Locked Up
- Kevin Leaman, 44, Exeter: 5 years for organising.
- Adam Hammerton, 45, St Albans: 8 years after trial conviction.
- Kieran Martin, 33, Plymouth: 2 years 2 months for courier duties.
- Jason Tarone, 52, London: 2 years 7 months, pleaded guilty.
- Lee 1, 60, London: Two-year suspended sentence.
- Darren Hardman, 52, Torquay: 4 years 10 months as a warehouser.
- Waraporn Hardman, 47: Suspended 10 months 2 weeks for letting her home be used.
Surveillance and Stings Lead to Key Seizures
Police used mobile phone data, CCTV, and covert surveillance to map the gang’s moves. In one vehicle stop, officers seized £37,500 hidden in a secret van compartment.
“Driver supposed to be back at @3:10 phone off… stressing me out,”
…read one police intercepted message from Carr, followed by:
“He’s been nicked mate Exeter Police Station give me a bit mate he’s got a bit of 1 plotted also just having a sort out.”
In October 2020, officers disrupted a drug deal in an Exeter car park, seizing multiple kilos of cocaine and £47,000 in cash.
Justice Served Across the Board
All caught in this sprawling network have now faced the courts, with key organisers and loyal couriers behind bars or given suspended sentences. The massive cocaine haul and cash seizures highlight the scale of this vicious operation.
