Eight members of £7m cocaine gang jailed

Eight people have been jailed, the ringleader for 23 years, after a £7m conspiracy in Wiltshire to supply cocaine across the region.

The Wiltshire Police investigation revealed 70kg of the class A drug was supplied from 2016 to 2020 with links to an Albanian crime group.

Sentenced at Winchester Crown Court on Thursday, ringleader Warren Allison, 36, from Swindon, was jailed for 23 years, while his brother, Kelroy Allison, 41, from Hilperton, was jailed for 16.5 years.

Two of the group tried to flee the UK to avoid arrest, while police explained that Warren Allison had purchased a Lamborghini with his "ill-gotten gains".

The investigation by the Wiltshire Police Serious Organised Crime Unit (Socu) examined thousands of documents, phone reports and telecoms data as well as surveillance.

The gang, led by the Allison brothers, bought drugs in bulk and used encrypted communication networks to send smaller quantities.

They provided a specially-modified vehicle to a trusted driver - Richard Cowell, 57, from Freshbrook, Swindon. It had purpose-built concealment to hide the cocaine and cash, with Cowell using an EncroChat phone to talk to the Allisons.

Admitting to couriering for other crime groups too, he was jailed for nine years for conspiracy to supply cocaine.

Warren Allison's romantic interest, Porcia Densley, 38, of Melksham, acted as a "finance manager", collecting and delivering cash on his instruction. She was jailed for eight years.

Police seized drugs in Bristol when surveillance officers saw cocaine worth £320,000 to £400,000 being delivered to the Allisons' cousin, Anthony Burke.

Officers found the drugs in a bag for life.

Burke, 34, of Bristol, was jailed for eight years.

The cocaine was supplied by Albanian nationals Ledian Hoxha and Pjeter Pisha.

They fled the UK to try to evade arrest, but Hoxha, 38, was jailed for seven years and four months and Pisha, 37, for six years and eight months.

Enid Aliko, 28, was jailed for four years after he provided an encrypted device and acted as a contact for the Albanian crime group after the arrests.

During the 12-week trial, the Allison brothers and Cowell claimed the messages were referring to fake clothes and not drugs.

Investigating officer Det Con Matthew Harvey of Socu said: "Warren purchased numerous high value vehicles, including a Lamborghini Huracan, Mercedes C63 AMG and an Audi RS6, with his ill-gotten gains."

He explained that a "significant operation" had been "broken up", with cocaine being supplied across the region.

"I hope these sentences show that those involved in organised criminal activity are not untouchable or above the law," he added.

Police said community intelligence was important in cases like these and asked people to report anything suspicious.

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