Members of a drugs gang who peddled heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine between Derbyshire and Lancashire have been jailed for a combined total of more than 33 years.
Officers identified the JJ Line – a county line drug dealing operation – to supply Class A drugs between Salford and Buxton between November 2023 and August 2024.
Niall Fisher was identified as the controller of the criminal enterprise, whilst Dale O’Sullivan was the organiser, and they had several other gang members working under them as drug runners, line holders and drivers.
Together they exploited vulnerable people by using their homes as bases from which to deal drugs – an illegal practice known as cuckooing.
They sold the drugs by sending out mass marketing messages via line telephone numbers advertising the sale of illegal substances.
Drug users would then respond and the gang arrange for a runner to deliver the Class A substances.
But their illegal operation was disrupted when Derbyshire Police officers, working in conjunction with colleagues from Greater Manchester Police, executed five search warrants at the suspects’ addresses in Buxton and Manchester on Friday 29 August last year.
The strikes involved more than 50 officers from GMP and our Criminal Exploitation Team, Safer Neighbourhood Team and Task Force.
Drugs, amounts of cash, numerous mobile phones and drug paraphernalia such as weighing scales, were seized.
The warrants executed were part of Operation Frenchpark to disrupt the supply of Class A drugs into Buxton.
Officers arrested eight members of the gang in total and all were charged with conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
They all pleaded guilty to the charges and have now been jailed following sentencing hearings held at Manchester Crown Court in July, September and November.
The gang members jailed are:-
Niall Fisher (27) of Green Avenue, Manchester – 10 years and seven months
Dale O’Sullivan (32) of Westbourne Road, Manchester – seven years and one month
Anthony Fagan (40) of Alma Street, Buxton – three years and seven months
Damien McCarron (47) of Ashop House, Buxton – two years and three months
Shakeel Stubley (19) of Chandos Grove, Manchester – one year and 10 months
Scott Whysall (37) of no fixed address – one year and three months
Kayleigh Harrison (28) of Welbeck Avenue, Buxton – three years and two months
Ermond Shala (47) of Winton Road, Salford – three years and nine months
Detective Inspector Chris Ford, who leads the Criminal Exploitation Team, said: “The length of the sentences handed to these individuals reflects the seriousness of their crimes.
“They exploited vulnerable members of society by coercing them into their criminal enterprise, which caused misery for the residents of Buxton.
“The punishments handed down to this gang should serve as a warning to others looking to peddle drugs into our county.
“We work around-the-clock, all-year-round alongside our colleagues in neighbouring forces to target county lines gangs intent on producing, transporting and dealing drugs across our borders.
“If you suspect drug-related crime is happening in your neighbourhood – please report it to us. We will treat every piece of evidence with care and will not hesitate to take appropriate action to get justice for victims.”
For more information about how to spot the signs of county lines drug dealing, and how to report incidents to us, please visit:- County lines | Derbyshire Constabulary
