A MEMBER of Jamie Oldroyd's notorious drug gang who acted as a link transporting cocaine between Warrington and Scunthorpe has been jailed for six years.

Described by Cheshire Police as an ‘extremely well organised team of criminals who would go to great lengths to conceal their criminality’, they plotted to supply large quantities of drugs in Warrington, Manchester, Carlisle, Darlington, Scunthorpe and Sussex.

A 14-month investigation, named Operation Dreadnought, had intercepted intelligence of the massive shipment while monitoring another gang based in the town.

Marcus Lewin of Gerards Lane, St Helens was picked up by Oldroyd on the day of his release in April 2018 from HMP Ranby in Nottinghamshire, where he was serving a three-year sentence for possessing hand gun.

The head of the cocaine racket worth hundreds of thousands of pounds – if not millions - then checked Lewin into The Mere Golf Resort and Spa Hotel in Knutsford.

Knutsford Guardian:

Chester Crown Court was told on Tuesday that Oldroyd paid £375 in cash for the room.

Lewin, 26, then kept in contact with Oldroyd and other gang member Moses Webber who helped to organise couriers.

Nicola Daly prosecuting, said: "On May 17, Lewin drove from the Liverpool Road safehouse in Sankey Bridges to Scunthorpe with one kilo of cocaine.

"It is clear that Lewin was a conduit between Oldroyd and Zack Edgar, playing an active and significant role.

"He was aware of the scale of the operation and was motivated by financial gain."

Videos found on a gang member's mobile phone showed Oldroyd and others counting out £150,000 in cash on the table of a house on Killingworth Drive in Gorse Covert.

A property on Biggin Court in Padgate linked to the gang was then raided in July last year, with officers finding more than £125,000 of cocaine inside.

It was highlighted how Lewin was on licence at the time of his arrest for supplying cocaine - an aggravating feature.

Lewin has nine previous convictions for 12 offences, including possession of cannabis and cocaine but none for drug trafficking.

Andrew Alty, defending, said: "This case involved others who were acting as couriers and dealers but with this defendant he was conduit.

"There was an established line of communication between Edgar and Oldroyd before Lewin got involved.

"He was paid £250 for the journey between Warrington and Scunthorpe.

"On his release from prison he secured a job and rented accommodation.

"He has a partner and two young children with another baby on the way."

Judge Robert Trevor-Jones sentenced Lewin to six years in prison.