Doncaster organised crime group jailed for roles in drugs conspiracy worth millions

The final set of verdicts were heard this week and come after a two-year-long cross-border operation, led by GMP’s Serious and Organised Crime Group, into the substantial supply of class A and B drugs between Bury and Doncaster – Operation Heart.

The following group were sentenced between Monday 27 July and Wednesday 29 July 2020 at Manchester Crown Court, Crown Square, for conspiracy to supply class A drugs:

Natalie Wrafter (14/11/1962) of Harewood Avenue, Doncaster – 11 years and three months;

Adam Hopewell (01/04/1988) of Whitcomb Drive, Rossington – nine years and six months;

Lee Davis (21/05/1981) of Polefield Hall Road, Prestwich – nine years;

Mark Bird (20/10/1986) of Stonegate Mews, Doncaster – seven years;

Graham Towriss (06/07/1992) of Hartford Avenue, Heywood – six years;

Abia Din (05/04/1975) of Woodman Drive, Bury – 18 years;

Shazia Din (25/10/1977) of The Drive, Bury – 15 years;

Hassan Din (12/01/1999) of The Drive, Bury – 14 years;

After a delay in proceedings due to COVID-19, the following five men were sentenced between Tuesday 1 December and Wednesday 2 December 2020 at Manchester Crown Court, Crown Square, for conspiracy to supply class A drugs:

Melvyn Sheldon (23/06/1980) of East Avenue, Doncaster – six years;

Rocky Smith (08/12/1988) of Tranmore Lane, Goole – five years and six months;

Jonathon Ramsbottom (10/02/1984) of Boleyn Court, Rochdale – four years and six months;

James Dickson (31/01/1960) of Folijambe Crescent, Doncaster – four years and six months;

David Wright (09/09/1966) of Fletcher Close, Heywood – four years.

The following were also convicted for class A drug offences and were sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court:

Peter Wrafter (14/11/1962) of Harewood Avenue, Doncaster, was sentenced on Wednesday 3 April 2019 to 12 years imprisonment;

Alan Forster (22/05/1978) of Wheatley Hall Road, Doncaster, was sentenced on Wednesday 22 May 2019 to three years and six months imprisonment;

Lewis Darcy (05/03/1999) of Whitcomb Drive, New Rossington, was sentenced on Wednesday 22 May 2019 to five years imprisonment.

The following were also sentenced:

Philip Pagin (05/11/1965) of Bankwood Lane, Doncaster, was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court, Crown Square, on Monday 3 August 2020 to two years for conspiracy to supply amphetamine;

Arjan Bedesha (05/02/1988) of Woodside Grove, County Durham, was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court on Friday 1 March 2019 to three years and four months for money laundering offences.

The operation, which involved officers from Doncaster’s Fortify team and GMP’s Serious Organised Crime Group, saw multiple warrants executed at a number of addresses in Doncaster and the Greater Manchester area last July.

The warrants were executed in a targeted strike day, following months of work by officers in both forces to identify individuals involved in a complex and sophisticated drugs supply route between Doncaster and north Manchester.

Seven addresses were targeted in Doncaster in the New Rossington, Woodlands and Balby areas, in addition to a further seven warrants in Bury, Ashton and Heywood.

Several kilograms of controlled drugs and approximately £20,000 cash was seized in those warrants.

Throughout the course of the investigation, over 30 kilograms of heroin, over 30 kilograms of amphetamine, over three kilograms of cocaine and over one kilogram of cannabis was seized, as well as over £300,000 in cash, a hydraulic press, a firearm and ammunition.

Acting Detective Inspector Lee Wilson from Doncaster CID said: “This is a significant result for both South Yorkshire and Greater Manchester, as a large number of individuals involved in serious organised crime are now behind bars.

“Our partnership working also saw the seizure of significant amounts of drugs, which cause untold harm within our communities, and cash – ill-gotten gains from this group’s criminal lifestyle.

“We remain absolutely steadfast in our commitment to tackling organised crime and drug supply within Doncaster and South Yorkshire, to keep our residents safe.

“We know that organised criminal groups such as this can often prey on our most vulnerable members of the community and make people feel intimidated or scared to tell the police what’s happening.

“I am grateful to the officers from our Fortify team for their relentless efforts and to the officers from GMP whom we have worked alongside throughout, to disassemble this complex and substantial criminal network that spanned two force areas.

“I hope today’s result sends a strong message that forces across the country will stop at nothing to bring organised criminals before the courts and where those groups cross force borders, we will work together and combine our efforts to bring to justice those who would seek to cause harm and fear within our communities.”

Three other men from Doncaster were sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court last year for offences connected to the same drugs conspiracy.

Detective Inspector Lee Griffin, of GMP’s Serious and Organised Crime Group, said: “During the operation we scrutinised this group intensely as we uncovered their illicit activities across the country, enabling us to gather evidence and unravel the conspiracy.

“It is thanks to the hard work of all the officers in this case from Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire Police that a group of criminals using sophisticated methods have been stopped from deluging our streets with huge amounts of drugs.

“We have disrupted the supply of drugs and cash payments between the regions of not just Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire, but across the UK.

“Drugs wreck lives, destroy relationships and blight our communities. Those who are responsible for supplying illegal drugs to vulnerable people deserve no place in our society,