21 jailed for 165 years and seven months on drugs and firearm offences after major Warwickshire Police operation
Twenty-one members of an organised crime group who trafficked drugs from Merseyside to Warwickshire, West Midlands, Nottinghamshire and Northamptonshire have been jailed for a combined total of 165 years and seven months.
Throughout the investigation officers seized drugs with a street value of £1.3million and £10,000 in cash as well as 15 firearms and associated ammunition. In summing up, the judge estimated the gang transported 60kg of class A drugs during the period investigated.
Detective Sergeant Sarah Wolsey of Warwickshire Police told the Herald: “These drugs were likely reaching every corner of Warwickshire and beyond, the streets of the whole county are a lot safer with the gang in jail.”
The five-year investigation led by Warwickshire Police Serious Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) concluded last week when the final defendant was found not guilty of drug supply offences.
Christopher Reeve was head of the gang and he orchestrated the supply from Liverpool and the Bickerstaffe area. When he was not available, his partner Sarah Reeve would step in to run the operation.
Garvey Thompson who despite being in prison illegally obtained a phone to control the drug supply line into Warwickshire. There was also evidence he had planned for drugs to be delivered into the prison by drone.
Wayne Philpotts organised the distribution of drugs delivered to Nottingham and Neil Brewster in Coventry.
The investigation proved Christopher Reeve and Garvey Thompson were orchestrating this line between October 2017 and September 2018.
The policing operation hit the gang at every level, from the Christopher Reeve, Thompson and accomplice David Burdett at the top of the chain right down to street dealers.
Christopher Reeve and Garvey Thompson employed couriers – including Thomas Bash, Lewis Mowat and David Burdett – to carry out supply runs across county borders.
Officers analysed phone records that showed more than 14,000 communications took place between Reeve and the other defendants. The content of many of these was believed to be planning drug runs across the country.
Officers also managed to link many of these messages to trips made by the defendants which they believe were drug deliveries.
The phone analysis and a covert operation helped to piece together all the players in the operation.
Between October 2017 and September 2018 officers executed five warrants at properties in Leamington and Daventry.
On 3rd August 2018, Sarah Reeve and Mowat set off from Liverpool with 3kg of high-purity cocaine in their car. Officers uncovered CCTV of them stopping for breakfast at McDonalds and passing through the M6 toll road.
Officers stopped the car on the A5 near Rugby, seizing the drugs and arresting Sarah Reeve and Mowat. A seized phone showed Christopher Reeve had orchestrated the delivery and Sarah Reeve and Mowat both had full knowledge of the operation.
On 12th September 2018, officers executed a warrant in Sturdee Close, Daventry, Northamptonshire, the home address of Caroline Dalley. During this warrant 877g of heroin, 4.15kg of cocaine, 13kg of Amphetamine, 20kg of cannabis resin, 6049 ecstasy tablets, 896g of MDMA and378g of crack cocaine were seized with a street value in excess of £830,000.Significant quantities of mixing and bulking agents were also recovered, along with a number of shotgun cartridges.
On 14th September 2018, officers raided a trailer in Wolfhampcote owned by Burdett where they seized drugs, 15 firearms and ammunition. Forensics linked the seizure to David Burdett, Christopher Reeve and Thomas Bash.
The longest sentence went to Christopher Reeve who was jailed for 17 years having pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply controlled drugs and possession of a firearm.
DS Wolsey commented: “This was a long and complex investigation that has helped to bring down a major drug supply network worth millions of pounds.
“We took out criminals at every level of this sophisticated operation; from the top man, Christopher Reeve, to the runners who were doing his dirty work on the streets.
“The result was thanks to the dedication of everyone involved who worked tirelessly to secure evidence and bring these dangerous offenders to justice. They never lost focus on their role in protecting people from harm and reducing the detrimental impact of drugs and violence in our communities.”
Key defendants
Christopher Reeve
Christopher Reeve, 44, was the ringleader of the group. He was also known as Polar Bear and lived with his partner Sarah Reeve in Montgomery Drive, Rugby.
He directed and organised the supply runs. The court heard how between October 2017-September 2018 Christopher Reeve had 14,000 phone contacts with the other defendants, many of them planning drug deals.
Detectives managed to match up calls made on his phone to key drug runs.
Christopher Reeve pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply controlled drugs and possession of a firearm. In November 2022 he was jailed for 17 years.
Garvey Thompson
Garvey Thompson, 42, of no fixed abode, was also known as Scubex or Bex. He was in prison for the majority of the period investigated by officers.
He played a leading role in the group, working with Reeve to direct the supply line into Leamington. The pair shared 1,349 contacts between October 2017-September 2018. Recovered text messages showed Thompson controlled those working in the supply houses in Leamington, organised the purchase of trainers for those working for him, and discussed supply updates and payments/wages with those lower down the chain over text messages.
Thompson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply drugs and in November 2022 was jailed for 12 years and 10 months.
Lewis Mowat
Mowat, 30, previously of Rugby Road, Leamington also played a significant role in the group as a courier and is believed to have made around 140 trips across the supply network.
Mowat was arrested in August 2018 in possession of 3kg of high-purity cocaine. He shared 1,928 contacts with Christopher Reeve between October 2017-September 2018.
He was found guilty of conspiracy to supply drugs and in November 2022 was jailed for eight years.
Sarah Reeve
Reeve, 40, previously of Montgomery Drive, Rugby is Christopher Reeve’s partner and a key player in the operation. She was arrested on the A5 near Rugby on 3 August 2018 having carried 3kg of high-purity cocaine down from Liverpool.
Sarah Reeve stepped in to run the operation when her partner was otherwise engaged. She had a very good knowledge of the supply chain and who was involved.
Other members of the gang would send Sarah updates about police disruption activity.
In November 2022 Sarah Reeve was jailed for 10 years and 10 months having pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply drugs.
