Crime gang that sold drugs in York and Tadcaster ‘dismantled’

The ‘key players’ of an organized crime gang that sold cocaine on the streets of North Yorkshire have been jailed.

Gavin Tuohey, Rhys Morgan, Jamal Lazrak, Max Haigh, Olivia Heppell and Luke Atkin were all convicted at Bradford Crown Court on Tuesday of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.

Police said the gang transported ‘huge quantities’ of cocaine in 2022 and 2023 and that leader Touhey had £43,000 worth of cocaine on his person at the time of his arrest.

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said it was a “major and detailed investigation” which led to the organized crime gang being “dismantled”.

They added: “By doing so, we have prevented tens of thousands of kilos of highly pure medicines from ending up on the streets.”

The force’s organized crime unit seized a “huge quantity” of cocaine worth more than £50,000 on two separate occasions, including a kilo of it found in Tuohey’s backpack.

The 46-year-old was caught after being stopped by police while traveling in a taxi from Leeds to Tadcaster.

The court also heard that recovered text messages showed he would ‘threaten and intimidate’ other gang members if they did not pay their debts for the cocaine he supplied.

Tuohey, from Tadcaster, was jailed for nine years and three months.

His ‘sidekick’ Rhys Morgan, who replaced Tuohey while he was on holiday, used a relative’s house to stash drugs, the court also heard.

The 26-year-old, of Rockcliffe Court, Tadcaster, was jailed for eight years.

Jamal Lazrak, 29, of Marston Avenue, York, was said to be a “top contact” and was supplied with cocaine that could be further broken down for onward supply.

He was sentenced to eight years and three months in prison.

Drug dealer Max Haigh, 23, of Wheatdale Road, Tadcaster, was jailed for six years and four months.

Olivia Heppell, 27, of Spindle Close, York, acted as a driver for the gang and was jailed for two years, suspended for two years.

Meanwhile, Luke Atkin, 37, another cocaine supplier, fled the UK before his trial began and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.

In his absence, the 37-year-old, of Camberwell Drive, Warrington, was jailed for 10 years.

Luke Jenkins, 33, from Leeds, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing in March and was previously sentenced to ten years.

Another defendant will be sentenced at a later date after police arrested him and found drugs with a potential street value of almost £6,500 hidden in his underwear.

All defendants pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.

Det Con Leah Kitchen, from North Yorkshire Police’s Organized Crime Unit, said: “The key players have been given significant prison sentences which reflect the seriousness of their crimes but also take them out of circulation for a number of years which can only be a good thing. matter.” thing for communities in Tadcaster and York.”

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