By targeting suppliers operating in Gosport, police were able to work their way up the chain of command to identify couriers, operational managers and ultimately two heads of the Organised Crime Group (OCG) – brothers Anthony and Brian Siner.

Anthony oversaw the Siner OCG, running heroin and crack cocaine through Gosport, while Brian controlled the line operating in Plymouth, Devon, from his prison cell where he was coming to the end of a 14 year sentence for previous drugs supply offences in Liverpool.

The County Line – which marketed itself as a brand known as the ‘Scouse Dave’ line – had been embedded in Gosport for a number of years, with local police officers conducting regular disruption and intervention work to target distributors and remove drugs from the supply chain.

As a result of this work, the Constabulary identified a ‘Scouse Presence’ in Gosport – namely operational members of the Siner OCG making sure dealing went ahead and that the Scouse Dave presence was felt effectively in the area. These OCG members also took cash back to Liverpool when they returned to the city.

The whole operation ran like a business – people worked and were paid a wage, before going home to see their families.

Police were able to establish that couriers working for the OCG would either bring drugs down to Gosport and Plymouth in bulk, or conduct cash collection trips whereby proceeds of drugs sales were collected from gang members and then transported back up to Liverpool.

During one such trip on 15 November 2022, a vehicle driven by 41-year-old Gareth Roberts was stopped by police near Plymouth. A search of the vehicle resulted in officers seizing around 3kg of heroin and crack cocaine.

As the investigation continued, police discovered phone contact between Anthony Siner and his older brother Brian, who was determined to be overseeing the Plymouth Line utilising a dealer in the area named Danny Venning.

The work then continued to identify other local runners and conspirators operating in Hampshire to deal or store drugs, and handle cash.

Following a number of arrests, the investigation team noticed a pause in activity on the drugs line, and took an opportunity to send out a text message en masse to drug users who had been in contact with the line, notifying them that it had been intercepted by police and signposting them to support services for their drug addiction.

A few months later, in July 2023, Merseyside Police supported the Constabulary with a day of action conducting further warrants and arrests. As part of this, both Siner brothers were arrested again before being charged and remanded to prison for their involvement in the conspiracy.

A total of 17 conspirators were brought into the criminal justice system, pleading guilty to their involvement in the conspiracy, and 14 have been sentenced so far to more than 85 years in prison.

On Friday 31 January this year, the following four individuals were sentenced:

• Anthony Siner, aged 38, of Monterey Road, Liverpool pleaded guilty to four counts of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and was jailed for 17 years and 7 months.
• Brian Siner, aged 41, of Clint Way, Liverpool pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and was jailed for 15 years and 9 months.
• Gareth Roberts, aged 43, of York Road in Southend-on-Sea, Essex – pleaded guilty to four counts of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and was jailed for 6 years and 9 months. Roberts acted as a courier for the operation, collecting cash and delivering drugs to Gosport and Plymouth.
• Lee Illingworth, aged 39, of no fixed abode, who has pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for two years, having already spent 13 months in prison awaiting sentence. He was also ordered to complete 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

Seven other OCG members, detailed below, were sentenced over the course of 20 and 21 March:

• Adam Hughes, aged 38, of Speedwell Lane in Heathfield, East Sussex, who has pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, was jailed for 8 and a half years. Hughes was an operational manager who had a significant role in the conspiracy.
• Gary Cranney, aged 41, of Eldonian Way in Liverpool, who has pleaded guilty to four counts of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, was jailed for 7 years. Cranney was also an operational manager working under the Siners.
• Demi Hannon, aged 27, of Gorst Street, Liverpool, who has pleaded guilty to participation in the criminal activities of an Organised Crime Group, was given a two year Community Order, comprising 25 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days and 150 hours unpaid work.
• Lee Richardson aged 27, of Blackhorse Lane, Liverpool, who has pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs was jailed for 9 years.
• Max Pike, aged 28, of Little Chilworth, Gosport, who has pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, was jailed for five years and 7 months.
• Clayton Donnelly, aged 21, of Sunbeam Way, Gosport, who has pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, was jailed for 4 and a half years.
• Donna Yuen, aged 48, of Davenport Close, Gosport, who has pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs was handed a 22 month sentence, suspended for two years. She was also ordered to complete 20 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement Days, and 60 hours unpaid work.

On Friday 24 April, the following three men were sentenced at Portsmouth Crown Court:

• Paul Naughton, aged 30, of no fixed abode, who has pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, was jailed for six years.
• Brett Coe-Quainton, aged 26, of Gale Moor Avenue in Gosport, who has pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, was jailed for five years.
• Kevin Wealthal, aged 57, of Little Chilworth in Gosport, who has pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, was sentenced to two years, suspended for two years, and was also made subject to a tagged curfew.

Christopher Crewe, aged 39, who has pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, was sentenced at Portsmouth Crown Court on Friday 2 May.

Crewe, of no fixed abode, was handed a 12 month Community Order, comprising a 6 month Drug Rehabilitation Requirement, and 20 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days.

Two men still remain to be sentenced at a later date in relation to this case. They are:

• Danny Venning, aged 38, of Beatrice Avenue, Lipson, Plymouth, who has pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs
• Sean Harland, aged 43, of Miller Drive, Fareham, who has pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs

Chief Inspector Marcus Kennedy, District Commander for Fareham and Gosport, said: “County Lines gangs have been embedded in Hampshire for some time, and to put it simply they are not welcome at all. People who live in Gosport are very passionate about their town, and when an organised crime group moves in it impacts all of the community.

“These gangs are linked to violence, including use of weapons, as well as wider community issues such as anti-social behaviour and acquisitive crime. These are not people you want operating in your area.

“They prey on the vulnerable, but sometimes drug runners can be vulnerable themselves and forced into this world, particularly if they are young or have been exposed to violence from a young age.

“The work into the Siner OCG has been phenomenal, and has taken out key members of the gang at all levels, including those with senior oversight. They’ve been cleared out, but there’s still more to do to continue stamping out drugs gangs.

“The police don’t want them here, and the community don’t want them here – not in our town. So my plea to the public will always be to tell us what’s going on in your towns to help us eradicate these groups. No matter how small the piece of information is, please work with us so we can develop the intelligence picture, take action, and make your community a safer place to live.

“This work wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our colleagues in Merseyside Police and Devon & Cornwall Police, in addition to the Crown Prosecution Service who presented the case to the courts. Police and partners will continue to work together in this way to disrupt those who infiltrate and bring harm to our towns and cities.”

Detective Sergeant Peter Sloan, from Merseyside Police, said: “Drug dealing destroys lives and contributes to the cycle of crime and exploitation. In Merseyside, we are doing all we can to stop drug activity and make it a hostile environment for organised crime groups.

“This was a complex investigation but thanks to the work of Hampshire Police, Devon & Cornwall and our dedicated county lines team, Project Medusa, we have been able to secure significant sentences.

“The investigation showcases the success of working together with other forces to close County Lines and put organised criminals behind bars.”