A Liverpool gang recruited a savage enforcer to oversee their expansion.
The operation, said to have been controlled by Liam Cornett , already ran lucrative supply lines in Anfield and Hull.
Confident they could take on further markets they turned their attention to Plymouth and Exeter.
In Exeter the gang, members of which were jailed for more than 200 years this week, simply took over the streets, forcing out rival outfits.
But in Plymouth they chose to team up with south coast thug Darryl Clough.
Clough was already an established organiser of a Class A drugs supply line when Cornett and an associate , Ryan Perry, met him in Devon in August 2017.
Days later Cornett returned with right hand man Michael Rice and met Clough again as the relationship grew.
Under Clough’s control, the Plymouth operation flourished into a substantial supply network with the ‘graft’ phone line at its heart taking 60 calls a day.
In a practice known as ‘cuckooing’, the gang took over the home of a vulnerable man in the city and used it as a safehouse, using the paranoid schizophrenic to package up the drugs being driven down from Liverpool for onward sale.
Several drug handovers took place in the car park of the Royal Devon and Exeter hospital.
Clough’s role ended in May 2018 following his arrest over offences that showcased his brutality.
The 29-year-old was part of a group that kidnapped, tortured and dumped a heroin addict in a river.
As they enforced a drug debt they held the victim prisoner in a taxi while his finger was snapped.
He was then thrown into the River Plym in the middle of the night.
Incredibly, much of the incident was filmed and put on Snapchat.
Footage showed the group listening to dance music, including “Show me Love” by Robin S and “All that she wants” by Ace of Base.
The recording showed one of the men snapping the finger of their victim on the orders of Clough, said to have been the ringleader.
Clough had been under the surveillance of detectives probing Cornett’s multiple conspiracies for months by this stage.
It was not suggested at sentencing that the punishment was linked to the Liverpool supply line.
Clough, who was once the subject of an anti-social behaviour order, was given eight years in jail for false imprisonment and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Sentencing him over the conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, Judge Anil Murray dismissed his claims he was vulnerable to being manipulated by others.
Judge Murray said he did not believe Clough would be “cajoled” into anything he did not want to do and said he was “entirely satisfied” he did not need the intermediary who accompanied him during the trial.
Clough, of Manifolds Gardens, Plymouth, was jailed for 12 years - a sentence that will run consecutively to his false imprisonment term.
THE GANG
Judge Anil Murray, who presided over two trials and two weeks of mitigation before sentencing gang members at Liverpool Crown described the outfit as "a large, professional, sophisticated, well-planned, well-prepared, successful and persistent operation".
Detective Inspector Paul McVeigh said: "Today marks the end of one of the longest and most extensive investigations ever undertaken by North West Regional Organised Crime Unit.
"This group went to great lengths to try to avoid detection, including the use of sophisticated mobile phone technology specifically designed to hide their identities . Unfortunately for them, our detectives were one step ahead and able to track their movements and monitor their activities.
"By the end of the investigation, we had analysed five million lines of phone data, representing calls and texts made by the group."
The man at the top: Liam Cornett
Known as the Lam, the 29-year-old from Huyton , ran the whole operation.
He spent most of his time living a lavish lifestyle in Spain with no legitimate means of income.
He did not have a hands on role, instead delegating the smuggling, storage and distribution of cocaine, heroin and amphetamines.
He was seen having meetings with underworld connections in Cardiff, Torquay and Exeter.
Cornett partied in the Netherlands and Monaco - where he enjoyed helicopter and Bentley rides.
When he was arrested after flying into Manchester Airport he was wearing a Rolex watch worth more than £50,000.
Cornett was jailed for 26 years and, upon release, will be the subject of a Serrious Crime Prevention Order that severely restricts his access to cash and connections.
Principal organiser: Michael Rice
A trusted lieutenant, Rice travelled frequently to meet associates around the country.
He was described as a "facilitator" who made significant contact with the couriers used by this gang, and controlled the graft phone lines.
The 26-year-old, of Moses Street in Dingle , enjoyed a holiday to Monte Carlo with Cornett that included a helicopter ride.
His involvement in the drugs plot ended when he was caught with a handgun during a dramatic armed police stop on Allerton Road in December 2017.
His 12 year, eight month sentence will run consecutive to the six years he received for possession of that Glock.
Principal organiser: Kieran Eves
Another trusted lieutenant, Eves operated at a similar level to Rice.
The 28-year-old, of Carriage Close in Hale, was involved in high-level meetings and organised the arrival of drugs and wielded substantial influence.
He was viewed as sitting just below Rice in the hierarchy.
He was sentenced to a total of 13 years and nine months for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, burglary, possession with intent to supply and the possession of criminal property.
Lead organiser: Craig Gowland
A trusted member, Gowland travelled with other key players and had significant telephone contact with others.
He was involved in transferring large amounts of money abroad and the handover of controlled drugs. He controlled a Liverpool-based 'graft' drugs phone and also featured in supply lines to the Hull area.
Gowland, 26 and of Corn Street, Dingle , was jailed for 17 years and four months for conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs and possession of a stun gun.
Lead organiser: Carl Maddocks
A close, trusted associate of Cornett, Maddocks featured heavily in the distribution of Class A drugs to Devon and actively worked in the Devon and Cornwall area, where he controlled a courier who made 11 drug trips to Liverpool.
The 23-year-old, of South Hill Road in Dingle , was said to be "intelligent" and the court heard he left university to care for his mum before he became involved in the conspiracy.
He was jailed for 10 years and eight months.
Lead organiser: Bobby Hill
Hill was with Cornett and Gowland before moving to Plymouth in early 2018, where he was seen to control the Plymouth-based couriers during their 11 identified journeys to Liverpool. He was jailed for eight years and eight months.
Lead organiser: Daryl Clough
Clough lived in Plymouth and was in close contact with Rice on days of couriering activity between Merseyside and Plymouth.
He was already involved in drug dealing on the south coast when Cornett and Rice met up with him, the group agreeing to work together.
Clough ran the Plymouth arm for Cornett based on his own operation - this was an example where the Liverpool gang worked alongside a local network rather than take their customers from them.
The 29-year-old, of Manifolds Gardens, Plymouth, was jailed for 12 years for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
This sentence will be added to an eight year term he is already serving for false imprisonment after he was part of a gang that kidnapped, tortured and dumped a heroin addict in a river.
Local organiser: Nicholas Corner
Corner, 25 and of Moses Street in Dingle , was lifelong friend of Bobby Hill and played a key role in the Plymouth operation.
In November 2017 he was detained at Liverpool John Lennon Airport with £25,000 hidden in his luggage. It is thought the cash was being taken to Cornett, who was in Spain at the time.
Surveillance captured him at a Plymouth safehouse 67 times in 12 weeks.
He was jailed for six years and eight months.
Local organiser: Ryan Perry
Perry, 23 and of Schomberg Street, Kensington , was involved from the outset. He travelled with Cornett to Devon where they made arrangements with Darryl Clough over the Plymouth conspiracy and he was involved in the creation of the Exeter operation.
He was also involved in the Hull operation.
He was jailed for nine years.
Local organiser: Dylan Hamill
Hamill, 28 and of Aigburth Drive, was recruited by Cornett to operate the Liverpool graft line, which he took control of after the arrests of Rice and Eves. He was jailed for eight years.
Local Organiser: Luke Stelfox
Stelfox, 24 and of Window Lane in Garston , acted as a courier, travelling to Exeter by train on the same occasions Cornett and Perry drove down. It was suggested he was carrying the drugs that would be offered as samples as the gang attempted to move into the city.
He became a runner and supplier for the gang oin Exeter, though his involvement is not thought to have lasted more than two months.
He was jailed for nine years.
Local Organiser: Jamie McGivern
McGivern, 20 and of Richmond Park in Anfield , was an organiser in the Hull and Exeter operations, answering directly to Rice. He was jailed for four years and 10 months.
Local Organiser: Reece Baker
Baker, 21 and of Broom Park in Plymouth, was an organiser in the Exeter operation but did take part in some courier runs to Liverpool.
While on bail after being caught with one drugs stash, he left another haul in the back of a taxi. When he rang the firm for his package back he gave his real details. The taxi company had reported the drugs to the police and Baker was arrested.
He was jailed for five years and four months.
Courier: Karl Davenport
Davenport, 35 and of Rockbank Road in Tuebrook , was a courier who took drugs to south Wales and the south coast on behalf of the gang.
He was recorded making 10 trips down from Liverpool, returning with cash on some occasions. He was jailed for seven and a half years.
Courier: John McDonough
McDonough, 65 and of Speke Road, was recorded making two courier runs to Exeter, where he handed drugs over in the car park of the Royal Devon and Exeter hospital. He was jailed for four years and eight months.
Courier: Stefan Donovan
Donovan, 29 and of no fixed abode, was from the Sale area of Manchester and a friend of Gowland, who recruited him. He was jailed for seven years.
Courier: Mark Addicott
Addicott, 54 and of Lipson Road, Plymouth, was recruited after the arrest of Davenport.
He was involved in the motor trade and therefore had an excuse for travelling the country.
He made 11 runs, carrying cash and drugs. He was jailed for eight years and nine months.
Courier: Stephanie Burgess
Burgess, 23 and also of Lipson Road, accompanied Addicott on six of the courier runs. On the last one, 400 grams of cocaine was found in the camper van they were travelling in. She was jailed for four years.
Street based: William Tucker
Tucker, 31 and of Hillcrest, Cullompton, only had one recorded incident linked to the gang. In December 2017 he was seen to meet Davenport in the car park of a bike shop just outside Exeter.
Police swooped on Tucker and he was found with 248 grams of cocaine on him.
He was jailed for two years and eight months.
Street dealer: Edward Morrin
Morrin, 43, was a street dealer for the gang in Exeter. He repeatedly sold drugs to undercover officers probing the group. He was jailed for three years and nine months.
Street dealer: David Tape
Tape, 41 and of Matthews Court in Exeter, was another street dealer in the Exeter area. He also sold drugs to undercover officers. He was jailed for 33 months.
Street dealer: George Cubbin
Cubbin, 54 and of Clifton Hill in Exeter, was a drug user and a customer of the gang. He had one recorded involvement, when he stepped in to replace Tape for a November 2017 meet up. He was jailed for three years.
Money launderer: Joseph Hill
Hill, 32 and of Fernie Crescent, Dingle , is the uncle of Maddocks and cousin of Bobby Hill.
He admitted money laundering in relation to profits made from the street dealing operation.
The court heard he had "outstanding" prison references. He was sentenced to 25 months.
Facilitator: Carl Daniels
Originally from Liverpool, Daniels, 35 and living in Newquay, organised drugs couriers.
He was jailed for four years and nine months.
*Two other men were also jailed but their identities cannot be revealed due to reporting restrictions.
