£multi-million cocaine gang taken down in major organised crime operation

The ninth and final individual involved in a drug supply conspiracy between – estimated to have a street value between £2.4m to £3m – was sentenced at Lincoln Crown Court yesterday (Thursday, November 6).

This follows a comprehensive investigation into a large-scale cocaine supply operation spanning the East Coast of Lincolnshire and Liverpool.

The operation consisted of two distinct but interconnected networks — one based in Skegness and the other in Liverpool —each coordinating to support and enable the other’s activities.

Detective Sergeant Adam Petty of the Serious and Organised Crime Unit said: “This was a large-scale investigation, working across borders with Merseyside Police colleagues.

"We were targeting a conspiracy to supply class A drugs between a Liverpool faction that was trafficking an estimated cocaine supply of between 24kg and 30kg, valued at approximately £2.4 million to £3 million on the street.

"Of this, the Skegness gang obtained around 15kg, valued at about £1.5 million.

“By intercepting this operation, we’ve not only prevented further quantities of harmful substances from reaching the streets of Lincolnshire, but we’ve also disrupted criminal networks that fuel violence and exploitation on our East Coast and beyond.

“By hitting these networks we are impacting crime rates, gang-related conflicts, and addiction crises all of which, we unfortunately know, destabilises our communities and erodes public safety.

"With our on-going proactive monitoring and enforcement efforts, we seek to create a sense of safety, and to deter further criminal behaviour.

“We are determined to disrupt these cycles of destructive drug trafficking into our county.

"We want safer streets and improved community well-being. We’re committed to fostering an environment where people feel protected, businesses thrive, and the East Coast is recognised a safe and welcoming place to be.”

This operation began on 27 August 2023 when Ross Thompson - sentenced to eight years in prison for a separate drugs investigation - and Lucy Moss were stopped and found to be in possession of 178 grams of cocaine.

Lincolnshire Police said messages between the two indicated that Thompson was being supplied class A drugs, namely cocaine, by a Zacc Farrell. Moss was a trusted associate of Farrell, acting as the go-between for the two.

The messages also indicated that Farrell was getting his reloads from Liverpool.

A detailed mapping investigation was launched, to identify the key players and couriers involved in the organisation.

On 26 January 2024, Lincolnshire Police said excellent cross-border working with Humberside Roads Crime officers meant that they intercepted a reload of drugs, recovering 429 grams of cocaine from Connor Fisher – with a street value of just over £40,000.

Messages on his phone indicated that he was making the journey on behalf of Farrell and had met a Cory Bruen in Kirkby, near Liverpool.

Bruen was from the Liverpool side of the operation. Painstaking detective work and strategic inquiries identified Peter Humphreys, Patrick OLliffe and Cory Bruen as working together to supply large amounts of cocaine to multiple people, collecting large quantities of cash and

using violence to enforce their operation. Humphreys was directing the overall operation, with Bruen holding a drugs line phone, supplying drugs to downstream couriers, and OLlifee acting as supplier, courier and enforcer, collecting cash and threatening violence when debts

were not paid.

Analysis of a spreadsheet recovered during enforcements confirmed that the Liverpool contingent had purchased around £850,000 of cocaine between 1 March 2023 and 17 December 2024 and will have dealt this onwards to other gangs for significant profit, somewhere in the region of £2.5 to £3 million, street value.

Detectives soon identified Zacc Farrell as having a pivotal role in this operation in Skegness. He directed the local couriers, including Tom Ashwell, Connor Fisher and Charlie Pamphilon to travel to the Kirkby estate in Liverpool to collect drugs from Bruen. Data showed that between March 2023 and July 2024, Farrell had purchased about 15 kilograms of cocaine from Humphreys, Bruen, OLliffe.

According to Lincolnshire Police, violence is frequently employed across these criminal operations, with impacts extending well beyond those directly involved. The Force said it poses a persistent threat to public safety, exposing members of the public, including children, to harm and / or distressing and traumatic incidents – and they “remain resolutely committed to addressing and eradicating through sustained and focused action”.

Five of the gang members pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to supply a class A drug (cocaine) and the transfer of criminal property:

Peter Humphreys, 43, of Rotherne Crescent, Halton, near Widness, was sentenced to 12 years and four months. He was the principal orchestrator of the conspiracy, at the top of the chain, directing operations from the Liverpool area.

Cory Bruen, 31, of Cleadon Road, Kirkby, Knowsley, near Liverpool, was sentenced to 12 years and three months. He was a significant co-conspirator, holding the drugs phone line and supplying couriers downstream.

Patrick OLliffe, 41, of Parkview Road, Liverpool, was sentenced to five years and two months. OLliffe was a key co-conspirator, supplying downstream couriers, also operating as a courier and enforcer.

Lucy Moss, 38, of The Causeway, Burgh Le Marsh, Skegness, who pleaded to guilty to the conspiracy to supply class A drugs (cocaine) and the transfer of criminal property, was handed a two-year custodial sentenced, suspended for two years, on 5 September. She was a broker, arranging prices, knowing when supplies were being reloaded, serving as a go-between for suppliers and couriers

Zacc Farrell, 32, of Burgh Road, Skegness, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs (cocaine) and the transfer of criminal property. He was handed an 11 years and three months custodial sentence. A charge of possession with intent to supply a controlled drug of class B (cannabis), to which Farrell pleaded not guilty, was ordered to lie on file. He was the principal director of the Skegness operations, coordinating supply links from the upstream Liverpool-based suspects, selling to downstream dealers in Skegness.

Three further gang members pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to supply a class A drug (cocaine).

Connor Fisher, 25, of Main Road, Stickney, Boston, was sentenced to five years and 10 months on 23 July. He was a courier who carried out eight journeys between Skegness and Liverpool during the conspiracy period, believed to have been carrying quantities of around ½ kilo of cocaine each time. A carrier bag, containing 429g of cocaine was seized on 26 January 2024 from a vehicle which he regularly used, contained his DNA.

Tom Ashwell, 25, of Wood Grove, Farnley, Leeds, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs (cocaine) and appeared in court on 22 August. He received six years and three months in prison. He was known to have carried out 17 journeys between Skegness and Liverpool during the conspiracy period, believed to be carrying quantities of around ½ kilo of cocaine each time.

Charlie Pamphilon, 26, of Southwark Close, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, pleaded guilty to the charge of possession with intent to supply a class A drug (cocaine) and transfer of criminal property and was sentenced to two years imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, on 6 November. Pamphilon was holding a drugs line for Farrell and dealing drugs through that. He also transported Farrell to Liverpool on three occasions, after Fisher was arrested.

Ricky Adams, 41, Mount Road, Liverpool pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply class A drugs (Cocaine) and the transfer of criminal property and was sentenced to two years and five months on 18 July. Adams was a middleman used to drop off cash between Humphreys and his supplier and also dealt cocaine, after police located almost £18,000- worth of cocaine during a search of his house.

Separate proceeds of crime investigations are underway to trace illicitly gained assets to confiscate such assets, to disrupt any ongoing illegal enterprise, and to preventing reinvestment. This is a separate investigation to follow the money trail, which ensures justice reaches beyond the courtroom.

Yesterday’s sentencing marks another significant operation from Lincolnshire Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit targeting drug trafficking networks on the East Coast of Lincolnshire totalling 222 years of custodial sentences. This follows Operation Republic (2022), which led to the arrest of 70 individuals and over 120 years of combined custodial sentences, and Operation Oystercatcher (2024), which secured convictions against eight suspects, totalling 47 years in prison.

Lincolnshire Police added that this operation is a clear demonstration of the tireless work happening every day – much of it out of sight - to dismantle organised crime across our county, protect our communities, safeguard those impacted by drugs, to bring offenders before the courts to face justice. The Force added: “We’re committed for the long haul, and this is just one of many steps in a wider effort to drive out drug-related crime wherever it takes hold.”