Two Drug Dealers Jailed After Huge Cocaine Bust in Kent
£65,000 Cash and Cocaine Seized in Twin Raids
Two drug dealers have been locked up following massive raids in Maidstone and Rochester. Ross Staines and Lewis Weaver were caught red-handed after police swooped on their homes on February 3, 2020. Officers found nearly £65,000 in cash and a stash of cocaine during the searches.
Criminal Links to Albania Uncovered
Police say the pair were supplying cocaine on behalf of a gang with ties to Albania. Staines was arrested in Rochester with around £60,000 bundled in cash. Weaver was nabbed in Maidstone, where officers uncovered £4,000, 134 grams of cocaine, and a replica firearm.
Denials Collapse Under Evidence
Weaver initially insisted the cocaine was found in a park while walking his dog and claimed the cash came from gardening. But phone records showed connections to known drug users. Meanwhile, Staines admitted his guilt early, telling officers, “I’ve had a good run of it… I’ve had enough of this life.”
Lengthy Prison Sentences Handed Down
At Maidstone Crown Court, both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine. Weaver also admitted possessing a Class B drug. On May 5, Staines was sentenced to five years and eight months behind bars. Weaver got three years and two months.
Detective Constable James Arnold said: “Staines and Weaver were part of a network flooding Maidstone with cocaine. Customers simply texted postcodes to their phones to order.”
“They thought they could operate with impunity, but we’ve sent a clear message with these hefty sentences. Our teams won’t stop chasing those who ruin lives with Class A drugs.”
Operation Raptor, a collaboration between Kent and Essex police, targets gangs operating across county lines to keep communities safe.
