NINE men embroiled in a multi-million pound Oxford-based drugs ring have appeared in court to be sentenced.
They are due to learn their fates today for their roles in three conspiracies to peddle heroin and cocaine between August 2013 and March last year.
As part of Operation Strix, officers from Thames Valley Police used covert surveillance and bugging to seize almost 15kg of cocaine and 7kg of heroin, worth up to an estimated £24m if sold on the streets.
During a day-long hearing at Oxford Crown Court yesterday, prosecutor Michael Roques described three “sophisticated” drug dealing plots – two based in Oxford and a “high level” operation to import 15kg of Class A drugs from the Netherlands.
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Mr Roques told Judge Ian Pringle the case involves 10 defendants altogether: eight who were part of conspiracies, one who allowed his premises to be used for drug dealing, and a driver who imported drugs into the country.
Property seized during the investigation included £46,000 in cash, three diamonds worth £3,740, and two watches worth £11,000, the barrister said.
There were also hydraulic presses for processing cocaine, electronic scales, large quantities of “cutting agents” used to prepare drugs and two lock knives.
Mr Roques said the case was in two halves – one involving the importation of cocaine and heroin into the country, and the second concerning the buying, cutting and “packaging for onward sale” of kilos of cocaine in Oxford.
He said the man bridging the two sides of the case was 32-year-old Martin Gray, of Randoph Avenue, Woodstock, who was involved in two of the three conspiracies.
Mr Roques said Gray and “business partner” Yemi Aiyegbusi, 35, of Walton Street, Oxford, were secretly recorded discussing the sale of large quantities of drugs and they employed David Bowen, 42, and Shorne Ross, 41, both of Mumford Drive, Northampton, as lower-level workers in their operation.
The group also made contact with truck driver Hakan Razaki, 42, from the Netherlands, who had admitted bringing 15kg of Class A drugs into the UK.
Gray, Aiyegbusi and Bowen have now pleaded guilty to being part of a conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine.
Ross was found guilty of the same offence by a jury.
Mr Roques said the other half of the case initially involved Gray delivering kilos of cocaine to two Oxford men – Ryan Davies, of Kelburne Road, Cowley, Oxford, and Gavin Preston, 35, of Astrop Lane, Oxford.
Preston admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine last year, and Davies was convicted after a trial.
Mr Roques said Preston was directing his brother, 34-yearold Aaron Preston, of Ashhurst Way, Rose Hill, who has also admitted being part of the conspiracy.
Their younger brother Reece Preston, 28, also of Ashhurst Way, Rose Hill, was jailed for three years earlier this year for allowing his premises to be used in the drug-dealing operation.
Mr Roques said the third conspiracy concerned the two older Preston brothers receiving half-kilos of cocaine from taxi driver Ali Naziri, 31, of Hundred Acres Close.
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