A drugs gang member, involved in a plot to flood UK cities with heroin and cocaine, has been told by top judges he was lucky not to receive an even tougher sentence.
Louis Anderson Raymond Jones was one of four men who were described as ‘controllers of a team’ involved in trafficking the class A drugs from Liverpool to Chester.
The gang was also involved in supplying drugs on Deeside and in Wigan and Portsmouth.
Jones, 21, of Jermyn Street, Liverpool, was caged for eight years at Chester Crown Court in March, after admitting two counts of conspiracy to supply cocaine and heroin.
Longer sentence usually handed out
He challenged his sentence at London’s Criminal Appeal Court on Tuesday (October 20) with his lawyers arguing it was over the top.
But his complaints were thrown out by three senior judges, who said longer sentences were often handed out for such serious crimes.
Jones was netted as part of a huge drugs operation by Cheshire Police - Operation Impact - which saw criminal gangs infiltrated by an undercover officer.
Following the investigation, which targeted a number of gangs in the Merseyside area who were moving drugs into Cheshire, 36 people were locked up for almost 150 years.
Based on the seizures made by police, it was estimated the gangs shifted around 5kg of drugs during the conspiracy.
Jones’ lawyers argued that, although his sentence was reduced to reflect his admission of guilt, it should have been cut even further because of his lesser role in the plot and his youth.
But, dismissing his appeal, Mr Justice Edis told the court: “Drug trafficking at this degree of sophistication, involving such large quantities of drugs, attracts sentences which are longer than the sentence imposed in this case.”
The judge, sitting with Lord Justice Elias and Judge Paul Farrer QC, added: “In those circumstances, it is impossible to argue that the resulting sentence was manifestly excessive or wrong in principle.”
