Mr Big - Darren MensahGREAT WILTSHIRE DRUGS BUST: A MASSIVE drugs empire has been smashed by police in one of the biggest operations ever carried out by Wiltshire officers.

Now seven people, including drugs kingpin Darren Mensah, face jail after being found guilty of drug trafficking in the Swindon, Wootton Bassett and Purton areas.

The court heard that Mensah had used his drug profits to fund an extravagant lifestyle that involved designer clothes and luxury cars.

And police are hailing this as one of the most successful operations ever carried out by the Wiltshire force after getting convictions for every link in the supply chain from top to bottom.

The arrests came about after police launched Operation Deft on August 20, 2003, after they gathered intelligence of a huge heroin and crack cocaine ring.

The investigation centred on Mensah, who was living in New Road, Wootton Bassett at the time.

The operation, which involved around 50 officers, resulted in more than 25 arrests and several raids on houses in the region.

During the raids there was a seizure of a substantial quantity of heroin, crack cocaine, and herbal cannabis with a total street value of some £53,000.

A large amount of cash was also recovered in the operation.

Out of the nine people who ended up being charged with drug offences as a result of the operation, six, including Mensah, admitted the charges, two pleaded not guilty and one, 19-year-old Dean Graham, of Purton, had the case dropped against him by the Crown Prosecution Service. Chantel Premped-Dabere, 18, and Barbara Esandol, 54, both of Wallington, Surrey, denied conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs and to laundering money.

After a trial at Southampton Crown Court, the jury found Esandol guilty on both charges but failed to reach a verdict on Premped-Dabere, so the charges were allowed to remain on file.

Esandol will be sentenced on May 10 at Southampton Crown Court, along with the other six.

The six are:-

Michelle Foxworthy, 35, of Collingsmead, Eldene, Swindon

Lucy Zerebecki, 22, of Turnham Green, Freshbrook, Swindon

Darren Mensah, 28, of Wallington Surrey

Ahmed Oke, 28, of Watford Hertfordshire

Colin Page, 26, of HMP Cardiff.

Jason Mensah, 29, of no fixed abode.

Steve Coxhead, a spokesman for Wiltshire Police, said: "An initial covert operation revealed a sophisticated drug dealing organisation, responsible for the large scale distribution of drugs in Wiltshire region.

"The ring, while mainly being London-based, was being run from Wiltshire."

'This is a warning to dealers'

"The illegal use of drugs is at the root of many social problems in society and leads to vast amounts of acquisition crime and violence.

It destroys lives, not just of those who use such substances but also the lives of friends and family.

Whilst the police continue to address the possession and use of illegal drugs our main efforts are rightly directed towards those involved in the supply of the drugs. It is one of our main priorities.

We can never underestimate the impact of groups of people involved in the business of supplying drugs. Whilst a lot of emphasis will no doubt be given to the amounts of money and drugs recovered, it is important to understand and not forget that we can never know how much misery and crime has been caused by the supply of drugs by this group of people.

There is little doubt that efforts by our colleagues in larger cities and towns has made life difficult for those wanting to supply drugs. Perhaps they think that rural counties like Wiltshire are easy prey.

This operation demonstrates that whilst Wiltshire is the safest county we intend to keep it that way. This is a warning to drug dealers to stay away. If you come we will catch you.

The courts also take a very dim view of those who supply drugs and we should all be pleased that this result means that these individuals who have led jet set lifestyles based on the misery of others are about to pay the price of their illegal activity. The many victims can be reassured that this is just one of many actions we are and will continue to take on their behalf.

I also want to thank the many officers who have worked long and hard on this investigation, witnesses who have demonstrated courage and members of the public who have and continue to provide information to us. We depend on that information so please keep telling us about the drug scene in your area."

Detective Chief Inspector Paul Granger

THE police see this operation as a major victory in the ongoing war against drugs in Wiltshire.

Operation Deft started on August 20, 2003, after officers gathered information that there was a massive heroin and crack/cocaine ring in Purton, Wootton Bassett and Swindon.

Officers immediately centred their attention on Darren Mensah, who they believed to be the kingpin.

At some stages of the operation up to 50 officers were involved, particularly when search warrants were executed and it also involved officers from other forces including the Metropolitan and South Wales areas.

An initial covert operation on Mensah revealed a sophisticated drug-dealing organisation, responsible for the large scale distribution of drugs in Wiltshire.

The dealers, while being mainly London-based, were being run from Wiltshire.

The investigation confirmed Mensah's criminality, and showed that his organisation worked through the use of sub-dealers, couriers and 'safe houses' people who use their premises to safely store drugs, before returning them to the supplier.

This operation is one of very few such operations that managed to apprehend a complete supply chain.

The co-charging of so many offenders with a conspiracy to supply class A drugs, made the police case very complicated.

Evidence presented during the trial demonstrated that the police had placed Mensah at the centre of the organisation and saw his role as pivotal.

A variety of evidence was put before the court including forensic reports, witness evidence, financial transactions, expert police evidence, association between suspects and inconsistencies in suspect interviews together with surveillance.

The largest single seizure of various drugs, including crack cocaine occurred at an address in Purton, with drugs with a street value of £28,840 were recovered.

Jamie Hill