Overview
- Eight defendants were sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on February 9 following guilty pleas to conspiracy to supply class A drugs.
- Ringleader Paul Lockyer received 11 years and four months, with multi‑year terms for James Neary, Paul McArdle, Stephen Lynch, Lee Nugent, Julie McCafferty, Christopher Horrocks and Michelle Higgins.
- Investigators found a 24/7 operation driven by a dedicated graft phone with more than 9,000 contacts and thousands of promotional messages, including AI‑generated videos.
- The gang pushed offers such as a November 2023 text tying a discount to the release of footballer Luis Díaz’s father, alongside other seasonal promotions and home delivery pitches.
- Raids on May 6, 2025 seized 874g of cocaine, drug‑mixing equipment and cash, with the graft phone located next to a 1kg block, as authorities estimate at least 9.9kg supplied and over £620,000 generated.