TRAFFORD gang members who controlled a large portion of the drugs market in Sale West have been jailed.


Jack Yarwood, 28, of Ascot AVenue, Sale, Nicholas Waine, 29, of Ligfield Avenue, Sale, and Wayne Keron, 49, of Tulip Road, Partington, were sentenced at Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court, today, April 7.


All pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs at an earlier hearing and Yarwood also pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis with intent to supply.


Yarwood and Waine were sentenced to four years eight months and Keron to two years.


Yarwood and Waine were well-known drug dealers in the area and essentially used Keron's address to cut up the drugs as part of their criminal enterprise.


But their operation began to unravel in May 2012 when police found an abandoned car that had crashed on Sinderland Lane, in Dunham Massey.


Officers recovered two mobile phones belonging to Waine and Yarwood containing text messages about previous drug deals and a drug debtors list.


A warrant was then executed at Yarwood’s home, where cannabis and cocaine was found.


Officers carried out a raid at Keron’s address on February 22 2013 and found 1/4kg of cocaine – as well as Waine and Yarwood’s fingerprints on a number of items.


More mobile phones were also seized showing an extensive drug dealing business.
 

Det Sgt Patrick Goodrich said: "Waine and Yarwood were well-known drug dealers in this area, and from the overwhelming amount of evidence we recovered, it was clear they ran an extensive and potentially lucrative drug-dealing operation.


"They used Keron’s home as their hideout from which to cut up the drugs into smaller quantities and sell on to make significant profit. And when we went through the doors, we quite literally caught these men red-handed, with fingerprints all over the drugs and cutting paraphernalia.


"Mobile phone analysis not only showed that Waine and Yarwood were close friends, but the sheer volume of text messages about drug debts and deals showed this sort of criminality was their way of life, and their way of making money.


"These convictions are a fantastic result for Greater Manchester Police because two determined drug dealers are now behind bars, but more than anything it is a victory for the community who, for too long, have had to put up with the likes of Yarwood and Waine mistakenly thinking that can ‘run’ this part of Sale West and act with impunity.


"Drug dealers like these can all too often cause misery and hardship among law-abiding residents who may be too scared to speak up for fear of reprisals.

With these men off the streets, we have not only made a huge dent into the supply of drugs in this area but also sent a powerful message that no-one is above the law and Greater Manchester Police will work hand-in-hand with residents to remove these corrosive elements from our communities and make them safer places."