A gang that flooded Macclesfield with class A drugs have been jailed.

Nine men involved in a county lines operation that brought cocaine and heroin from Merseyside to Macclesfield have been sentenced.

 Between them, they will spend more than 26 years behind bars.

Seven of the individuals were sentenced back in August, with the case concluding at Chester Crown Court on Friday, October 31.

DC Rebecca Smith said: "I hope the sentences handed down to the members of this organised crime gang reassures the public of our dedication and commitment in protecting our communities and ensuring Cheshire is a place of hostility towards people who cross into our borders to commit crime.

"Thanks to the tenacity of our officers, two of the OCG members were caught in the act and swiftly arrested, with subsequent enquiries revealing the extent of the group and resulting in the arrests of a further seven people.

"If you have any information about drug-related activity in your community, please get in touch with us and we will do the rest."

Seven individuals sentenced on Thursday, August 14

• Michael Flynn, 31, of Hazelslack Road, Liverpool, sentenced to six years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine and heroin.
• Anthony Proctor, 38, of Portloe Avenue, Halewood, Merseyside, sentenced to three years and two months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine and heroin.
• Steven Gain, 45, of Buxton Road, Macclesfield, sentenced to three years and two months after pleading guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine and heroin.
• Martin Del-Frate, 58, of Berkshire Close, Macclesfield, sentenced to three years and two months after pleading guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine and heroin.
• Joe Tyrer, 26, of Prenton Dell Road, Prenton, Merseyside, sentenced to three years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine and heroin.
• Connor Millea, 29, of Colworth Road, Liverpool, sentenced to 20 months after pleading guilty to participating in the criminal activities of an OCG.
• Darren Cash, 55, of Devon Close, Macclesfield, sentenced to 19 months after pleading guilty to participating in the criminal activities of an OCG

Two individuals sentenced on Friday, October 31

• Lewis McCallum, 31, of Heydean Road, Liverpool, sentenced to six years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine and heroin.
• Mark Finnigan, 52, of Aquarius Close, Liverpool, sentenced to 16 months suspended for 18 months after pleading guilty to participating in the criminal activities of an OCG.

Eight members of the gang have been handed immediate custodial sentences (Credit: Cheshire Police)

In February 2021, plain-clothed officers observed drug-dealing activity in Victoria Park, Macclesfield.

Two men, later identified as Gain and Tyrer, had been seen to meet a group of suspected drugs users in the park and disappear into a shrubbed area. Shortly after this they re-appeared with one apparently counting something in their hand, indicating a deal had just taken place.

The pair went into a nearby address. Gain later exited and met with a second group of suspected drug users. It was at this point that officers moved in, arresting Gain and recovering individual deal amounts of both heroin and crack cocaine.

A warrant was executed at the address he had walked out of, which resulted in Tyrer's arrest and the seizure of further class A drugs (24 wraps of heroin and seven wraps of crack cocaine) and over £450 in cash. 

Further enquiries by officers revealed that Tyrer had likely been recruited into the OCG by Flynn and McCallum in Liverpool. The investigation showed Tyrer had then been transported to Macclesfield with a quantity of class A drugs by Finnigan, in order for him to facilitate the operation of the 'Scouse AJ' county lines team in the town.

On Tyrer's arrival in Macclesfield, a 'flare' message was sent out by the 'Scouse AJ' team, advertising drugs were now available to buy.

Evidence revealed that on the day Tyrer and Gain were arrested, Flynn and McCallum were running the line from Cash's address in Macclesfield, directing Tyrer and Gain, and were immediately alerted to their arrests as they were on a live call with Tyrer when police arrested him.

In the immediate aftermath, Cash booked Flynn and McCallum a taxi to Manchester, after which Millea tried to assist them in booking a further taxi back to Liverpool. Millea was also believed to have been heavily involved in the initial planning stages of the operation.

A few days later, Flynn and McCallum recruited Proctor as a new 'runner', with Finnigan again transporting him to Macclesfield. Del-Frate allowed the OCG to use his address as a base while the team were in Macclesfield for four days.

The conspiracy ran until the end of February 2021, after which it ceased due to unknown reasons.

In November 2021, officers from Macclesfield – supported by Merseyside Police – conducted warrants at five properties in Merseyside and two in Cheshire, where the other seven members of the OCG were arrested.