Organised crime gang drugs villain from near Market Harborough is jailed for 10 years

A crook from a village near Market Harborough has been jailed for over 10 years for playing a key role in an organised crime gang which imported Class A drugs worth £900,000.

Stephen Hunt, 60, of Main Street, Great Oxendon, worked with contacts in Spain and Holland and rented an office under the cover of a linen company to receive shipments of heroin.

The hard drug was then distributed and sold through County Lines gangs.

A massive amount of drugs was smuggled into the UK between January and May 2020.

The gang communicated via an encrypted platform, which was taken down last year to help run the enormous criminal operation.

Hunt admitted conspiring to supply class A drugs at Caernarfon Crown Court and was locked up for 10 years nine months.

The criminal was one four men to be jailed following an intensive investigation by the National Crime Agency.

Piers Phillips, the agency’s operations manager, said: “These men were central to the violence and exploitation that UK crime groups deal in when it comes to supplying heroin through County Lines.

“Class A drugs cause misery and bring chaos to our communities.

“We’re pleased to have taken this OCG (organised crime group) out of action and we’ll continue to do our utmost to protect the public from this threat.”