Police smashed a major drugs operation after finding one of the gang had taught their pet parrot to say phrases used by dealers.
Shannon Hilton, 29, filmed Mango the parrot playing with money made from the sale of heroin, crack cocaine, ketamine and cannabis.
She also coached Mango to repeat the drug dealer’s selling line, “two for 25”, and filmed him performing the trick as she laughed in the background.
Lancashire Police found the incriminating clips along with images of large blocks of white powder and a video of one of the gang rapping about cocaine.
Hilton’s boyfriend, Adam Garnett, 35, was the head of the drugs gang, running operations from his prison cell.
He had smuggled in mobile phones and even WiFi routers to keep in contact with Hilton and his other lieutenants, Dalbir Sandhu, 41, and Jason Gerrand, 50.
At Preston crown court last week, 15 people involving in the drugs operation were sentenced to a total of 103 years in prison.
“What’s the most talented thing your pet can do? Sit? Give paw? How about speak?”, Lancashire Police said, after revealing the details of the case.
“One drug dealer's parrot learned to say ‘two for 25’ - a phrase picked up as part of common language used by the organised crime gang run by her boyfriend. Not a phrase you want your parrot squawking when the police come knocking!”
Garnett was jailed for 19-and-a-half years for masterminding the sale of drugs between February 2023 and July 2024 in the Blackpool area.
Despite his incarceration, he had directed the moving of evidence to try to keep it from police, and he was in touch with most members of the gang.
Hilton was sentenced to 12 years in prison, while Sandhu was jailed for ten years.
Police said he had kept notes of all his sales, transactions and price lists of drugs.
Gerrand was sentenced to eight years and three months in prison, while Gareth Burgess, 45, was jailed for seven years and seven months.
The court heard he had filmed himself walking through the city with large amounts of cash, as well as rapping about cocaine and his drug dealing activities.
“These people ran a sophisticated operation to supply class A drugs across Blackpool”, said DS Anthony Alves from the West Targeted Crime Team.
“Garnett continued to run his operation whilst in prison, communicating with the members of his organised crime gang through illegal methods.
“I welcome the sentences handed down today following the lengthy and complex investigation.”
Police have also launched a hunt for Chloe Stott, 24, and Ryan Black, 27, who both failed to appear for the sentencing hearing.
Stott, of Langdale Road, Blackpool, was sentenced to seven years and seven months in prison, while Black, of Jameson Street, Blackpool, was handed a five-year jail term.
