17th December, 2023
A massive crime bust by the Metropolitan Police has led to the sentencing of 22 criminals to a total 160 years in the United Kingdom.
Detectives from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command carried out a 15-month investigation into an organised crime group’s involvement in the supply of multiple kilos of Class A drugs and firearms.
According to a release by the Met Police, officers from the Specialist Crime Command methodically gathered a wealth of evidence of the gang’s involvement in the supply of Class A drugs and firearms leading to the seizure of 200kgs of drugs, and quantities of firearms, ammunition and cash.
The police said head of the criminal gang Ross Payton employed family and friends including his sister Shainie Payton, her boyfriend Darren Goodge, his uncle Lee Souter, his cousin Jamie Dennison and associate Reece Mort.
“The gang travelled across London, the Home Counties and Scotland, transporting drugs, firearms and cash using a fleet of vehicles containing sophisticated hide,” the police said.
Detective Inspector Nikki Owen, from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command Proactive team, who led the investigation said the conviction of these individuals would have a significant impact on drugs supply in London and the UK as a whole.
He added that officers worked hard over a protracted period to ensure that this criminal gang was stopped, saying he was incredibly proud of their efforts to bring these individuals to justice, adding that London is undoubtedly safer because of the team work, dedication and commitment of the Met.
Owen said alongside significant seizures of class A and B drugs, firearms, cash and assets, the investigation team identified and safeguarded a number of vulnerable people who had been exploited by the gang.
“In all, 22 people have now been convicted and sentenced to a combined total of over 160 years. I hope that this result offers some reassurance to communities that the Met is determined to robustly deal with high harm offenders, reduce crime and restore trust and confidence,” he stated.
On Wednesday, 13 December at Woolwich Crown Court, the seven remaining members of an organised criminal gang were sentenced to a total of 90 years. Due to the overwhelming evidence against them, they all pleaded guilty. A further 15 members of the gang were jailed at different hearings throughout 2022.
Those sentenced on 13 December were: Ross Payton of Bell Avenue, Bowburn, Durham, who was sentenced to 24 years for conspiracy to supply class A & B drugs, conspiracy to acquire/use/possess criminal property, and conspiracy to sell/transfer firearms/ammunition; Shainie Payton of Hadley Grange, Harlow, Essex, who was sentenced to 13 years and six months for conspiracy to supply class A & B drugs, and conspiracy to acquire/use/possess criminal property.
Darren Goodge of Hadley Grange, Harlow, Essex was sentenced to ten years for conspiracy to supply class A & B drugs, and conspiracy to acquire/use/possess criminal property, while Lee Souter of Ladyshot, Harlow, Essex was sentenced to 11 years and six months for conspiracy to supply class A & B drugs, and conspiracy to acquire/use/possess criminal property.
Jamie Dennison of Little Cattins, Harlow, Essex was sentenced to seven years and six months for conspiracy to supply class A & B drugs, and conspiracy to acquire/use/possess criminal property; Reece Mort of Rushes Mead, Harlow, Essex was sentenced to nine years for conspiracy to supply class A & B drugs, and conspiracy to acquire/use/possess criminal property and Alfie Malone of Avondale Road, London, SE9 was sentenced to 14 years and six months for conspiracy to supply class A & B drugs, conspiracy to acquire/use/possess criminal property, and conspiracy to sell/transfer firearms/ammunition.
According to the Met Police, the officers operation began in March 2020 and was designed to dismantle the supply and distribution of Class A drugs around south-east London, as a large scale surveillance operation was launched involving a number of individuals and locations.
“The initial phase of the investigation identified, investigated, arrested and prosecuted four low-level members of the organised criminal group (OCG) for various drug offences. Following their arrests, detectives utilised material from their mobile phones, seizures at their home addresses and other intelligence to progress the operation leading to the conviction of the leader of the OCG, his allies and other key individuals.
“The first person identified was Alfie Malone in September 2020 and he was placed under surveillance. In October 2020 he led officers to an address in Beaverbank, SE9 in which officers observed criminal activity. Throughout November 2020 police observed Lee Souter and Darren Goodge meeting Malone at the address, where sometimes bags were exchanged.
“As a result of these meetings Goodge and Souter was placed under police surveillance. Subsequently, police carried out a drugs warrant at the New Eltham address. Class A drugs, money, associated paraphernalia and a live cannabis plants in the loft were recovered and the address was closed down by police,’ the police stated.
The police added that over the course of the following five months detectives observed Souter and Goodge travel around London and locations across the country carrying out various meetings and exchanging bags.
The police said on 19 March, 2021 Malone was stopped and arrested in possession of a one-kilo block of cocaine following a meeting with Goodge, saying both Goodge and Souter’s fingerprints were found on the carrier bag containing the cocaine block.
“Evidence indicated that Malone was a customer of Ross Payton’s OCG, detectives also discovered he was heavily involved in the supply of drugs in his own right. In the two month period from the end of March to the end of May 2020, he regularly acquired drugs in large quantities – kilo and half kilo blocks – from the OCG for onward supply.
“On 27 April 2021, Souter was intercepted by police in Enfield whilst driving a rented van after he had collected 50kg of freshly imported heroin and cocaine which had been concealed in children’s toys. Following this interception, on 28 April 2021 officers arrested Payton at Manchester Airport as he attempted to flee the UK,” the police stated.
The Met Police stated that a search of Payton’s home recovered a mobile phone which forensic analysis revealed messages and pictures linking him to UK-wide drug distribution.
He said officers discovered more than 5,000 relevant items linking him to Class A drug distribution into the hundreds of kilos. Analysis of the mobile phone uncovered links to Shainie Payton, Goodge, Souter, Reece Mort and James Dennison, including messages involving drugs, images of drugs, money and postcodes being sent for Goodge, Souter and Dennison to attend all around the UK.
According to the police, messages found on Payton’s phone clearly identified him as the leader of the OCG, saying that in messages, he gave orders to other members to make exchanges, telling them to acquire new equipment such as cash counters and vacuum machines and admonished them for mistakes and discussed the quality of the drugs being passed.
“Detectives recovered Telegram messages from Payton which showed in the period between the 14 December 2020 and 8 April 2021 he had organised the distribution of 115 kilos of class A drugs, which would equate to around £3,450,000 in wholesale value.
“The accounts kept by the OCG show transactions well into the millions of pounds and the observation evidence showing that the network was operating from the south-east of London to as far as Scotland. It was also uncovered that Payton and Malone were also conspiring for Payton to sell firearms including AK47 assault rifles, Skorpion submachine guns and handguns.
“On 11 May 2021 Shainie Payton and Goodge were arrested for being concerned in Class A drug supply. Officers found an electronic hide in the boot of their car which contained cannabis. During a search of their home, cocaine was recovered together with scales from the loft area and packaging containing traces of cocaine and cannabis,” the police stated.
The police said on the same day, Dennison was also arrested in Harlow as Cannabis was discovered inside a sophisticated electronic hide in the vehicle’s floor, adding that a further forensic analysis uncovered Souter’s fingerprint inside the hide of the vehicle.
“On 14 May 2021 Mort was arrested in Harlow. In his possession was a handset which, although now holding a different SIM, had previously held the phone number used to communicate with his co-conspirators. Officers found Telegram messages exchanged between Payton and Mort from April 2021 regarding the delivery of cocaine. There were numerous messages around that same time sourced from other conspirators’ phones that refer to Mort’s drug exchanges and involvement in counting money.
“During the investigation, three vulnerable people were identified as being victims of exploitation by the gang to allow their premises to be used to store and bag up drugs. Officers worked with various local authorities so that these three were found alternative housing and given support.
“Prior to the arrest and conviction of the seven key players, a number of lower tier OCG members were convicted for their part in the enterprise having been implicated whilst under surveillance to supply Class A and B drugs,” the police disclosed.
See others jailed below:
Taylor Plumb of Tees Drive, Romford was jailed for four years and six months after pleading guilty to possession with intent to supply class A and B drugs.
Marshall Arthur of John Harrison Way, SE10 was jailed for three years and five months after pleading guilty to possession with intent to supply class A drugs.
Martyn Savill of Kingston Avenue, Southend on Sea, was jailed five years and four months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs.
Ibrahim Saleh of Robert Street, SE18 was jailed for eight years and six months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs, and possession with intent to supply class A drugs.
Eddie Peacock of Wellington Avenue, Bexley, was jailed for nine years after being found guilty of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs, possession with intent to supply class A drugs and possession of criminal property.
Channing Broderick of Old Road East, Gravesend, was jailed for five years and two months after being found guilty of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs, and driving whilst disqualified.
Mansur Mustapha of Rayleigh Road, E16 was jailed for 13 months after pleading guilty to possession with intent to supply class B drugs and possession with intent to supply psychoactive substances.
Jake Keys of Shakespeare Road, Dartford, was sentenced to a two-year suspended sentence after pleading guilty to being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.
Navid Jamshidi of Green Lane, SE9 was jailed for eight years and four months after pleading guilty to being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.
Mark Sawyer of Beaverbank, SE9 was jailed for 14 months after pleading guilty to possession with intent to supply class A and B drugs and production of class B drugs.
Robbie Asaw of Wakelin House, Brockley Park, SE23 1PU was jailed for six years after pleading guilty to possession with intent to supply class A drugs.
Steven Boreham of Chestnut Grove, Southend on Sea, was jailed for five years and four months after pleading guilty to possession with intent to supply class A drugs.
John Andrews of Peel Road, Orpington was jailed for five years and six months after pleading guilty to possession with intent to supply class A drugs and acquire/use/possess criminal property.
Daniel Jarvis of Rainbow Road, Bexley, was jailed for five years after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Charlie Keys of Shakespeare Road, Dartford was sentenced to a two year conditional discharge after pleading guilty to being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.