Drugs gang who operated in Basingstoke for more than a year jailed for nearly 49 years combined

Eight defendants sat in the dock during a four-day hearing at Winchester Crown Court last week, where the court heard how the gang had travelled back and forth between London and Basingstoke to deal Class A drugs.

Today (Wednesday), all eight of the gang members were given jail terms, though one was handed a suspended term.

The court heard how the gang, known as the DM Crew, took advantage of vulnerable people to cuckoo in their properties, carried zombie knives and would boast about their dealings on social media.

The gang were operating in the Basingstoke area from March 2017 until July 2018, making up to £2,000 a day selling crack cocaine and heroin.

In outlining the case, prosecutor Mark Ruffell, said that mobile telephones known to be part of the ‘WEZ drug line’ were under the control of a number of the defendants, mainly Ahmet Karagozlu, who the prosecution said took a leading role in the organisation and distribution of the products, as well as recruiting people under the age of 18 to run the drugs.

Mr Ruffell said: “Because of the level of organisation we have seen in this case, we place Ahmet Karagozlu in a leading role in this drugs conspiracy.

“He is the person that we see has control of the drugs line for a significant time, and is organising taxis and going with people to and from Basingstoke.”

Karagozlu, who was seen to be heading up the operation, along with co-defendants Ozlem Simsek and Matthew Keeley, were arrested on July 18 after a search at a property in Tadley.

During the 16-month period they were active, the court heard one member of the group, Kaan Cicek, had been found guilty at an earlier trial of two counts of wounding.

The court heard how the 18-year-old had taken a knife to meet two brothers in Tiverton Road, Winklebury, who were known to the gang after they tried to pay for drugs with “fake money”.

Mr Ruffell said: “Prior to meeting with Mr Cicek, one of the brothers had called 101 and told the police he was ‘scared s***less’ that he was going to be stabbed.”

The court heard that Cicek used a lock knife to stab one of the brothers in the stomach, puncturing his liver, and then causing a superficial wound to the other brother in the back.

In sentencing today (Wednesday) Judge Richard Parkes QC said: “For all those involved the drugs line was seen as a passport to riches, and that was certainly the view taken by the gang members who held it.

“Even though those involved in this conspiracy played differing roles the gang were seen to take advantage of vulnerable people for a prolonged period of time.”

SENTENCING:

Ahmet Karagozlu, 20, of Stow Crescent, Walthamstow, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs. He was sentenced to eight years and eight months.

Halil Karagozlu, 18, of Stow Crescent, Walthamstow, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs. He was sentenced to six years and six months in a young offenders institution.

Byron Whitfield, 18, of Shortlands Road, London, was found guilty at an earlier trial of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs. He was sentenced to seven years in a young offenders institution.

Kaan Cicek, 18, of Walthamstow, London, was found guilty at an earlier trial of two counts of wounding and one count of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs. He was sentenced to 10 years in jail.

Donnell Willocks, 22, of Sansom Road, London, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs. He was sentenced to five years in jail.

Ozlem, Simsek, 22, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs. She was sentenced to three years and four months in jail. She had also pleaded guilty to five drugs related issues to a case in Ipswich, which she was sentenced to a further five years in jail to run consecutively.

Matthew Keeley, 40, of Reynards Close, Tadley, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs. He was sentenced to two years and eight months in jail.

Diane Brill, 42, from Basingstoke, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs. She was sentenced to two years in jail, which has been suspended to 18 months. She was also ordered to complete 175 hours unpaid work and 25 rehabilitation activity days.

Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Constable Ian Cullen said: “Thanks to the determination, professionalism and persistence of our officers, staff and legal team, this dangerous gang has been completely dismantled.

“Investigations such as these require painstaking work to ensure all those responsible are put behind bars, not just those who are at the bottom of the chain.

“This sentencing demonstrates that we will do everything we can to stop Basingstoke being targeted by violent drugs networks because we know the harm and misery they cause to our communities.

“We wouldn’t have been able to get this success today had it not been for the support we have had from residents and businesses in the area, who helped us to build such a strong case against these people, that many had no choice but to plead guilty.

“The gang were able to evade detection by cuckooing in addresses in Basingstoke and Tadley - that included Diane Brill and Matthew Keeley.

“In Diane Brill's address, the gang filmed themselves holding thousands of pounds in cash, waving knives and singing drill music, showing off to other gangs in London.

“But with the community supporting us and being our eyes and ears on the ground, we were able to make these arrests and get some very dangerous weapons off our streets.

“We can’t tackle this problem alone but with the help of our communities, we can take action against those intent on breaking the law."