DRUG dealers caught in a major undercover sting operation that ran for three months in Worcester have been jailed.

An undercover officer known as Danny infiltrated the city's drugs scene to gather information on the suppliers of heroin and cocaine, Worcester Crown Court was told.

From October last year to the end of January this year, he operated as a test purchase officer, buying deals from a flat in Lowesmoor and catching a High Street beggar whose role was introducing users to dealers.

Most of the deals were caught on camera or were on audio recordings, Robert Price, prosecuting, told the court. The sting was named Operation Dorado by West Mercia police.

One of them was in Lowesmoor where officers had seen a number of people visiting a flat at 86B, staying a short time and then leaving.
They were believed to be buying drugs and when "Danny" visited, he was sold wraps of heroin and cocaine for £10 or £20 each depending on the quantity.

The flat was rented by Cheryl Mapp, aged 31, who lived there with her boyfriend, 34-year-old Neil Jones and Matthew Wright, aged 26. All three pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
Danny bought drugs of each of them on separate occasions when he visited the flat and on one visit there were between ten and fifteen people seen to go in, Mr Price said.

Amanda Tomkins, for Mapp, said she had bagged up the drugs and got her own free but had played a minor role and was now tackling her own addiction.

Jason Aris, defending Jones, said he admitted full responsibility for his actions and was grateful to the police. If he had not been arrested, he feared he would have been dead through his addiction. At his arrest, he weighed just over ten stones and now weighed fourteen.

Jason Patel, for Wright, said he had a limited role. He had a full time job and had been offered a room in the flat, which he paid for, but he was aware of what was going on and had supplied the drugs to Danny.

Recorder Andrew Easteal jailed Mapp and Wright for 34 months. He jailed Jones, who had previous convictions for drugs offences, for 40 months.

Mr Price said Danny was put in touch with Jason George, aged 28, of Sansome Walk, who sold him one £10 wrap of heroin. He was suspicious of Danny and asked him if he was Old Bill.
Charles Hamer, for George, said he had a drugs habit which had blighted his whole life.

He also pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges and was jailed for 16 months.
Danny also contacted homeless Simon Sliwinski who had a regular begging place in the High Street. Mr Price said his role was to introduce users to dealers through mobile phone calls when asked.

He said he wanted to make sure his friends had good stuff and not rubbish. He was an addict and had been involved in drugs since a conviction for possession of cannabis in 1995.

Charles Hamer, defending, said he was well known in Worcester and known as an addict. His role was to facilitate supply and he had not made a financial gain. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply and was jailed for two years.
The sentencing of others caught in the operation continues.

Three others, Jodie Evans, aged 22, of Barbourne Road, Andrew King, aged 45, also of Barbourne Road, and Timothy Gibbs, aged 34, of Compton Road, off Wyld's Lane appeared in court and are now set to go for trial on conspiracy charges in April next year.

Danny was also put in touch with others involved in the conspiracy who pleaded guilty.


He bought wraps of drugs from Mohammad Hussain, aged 24, of Arboretum Road and Jamal Al-Ghani, also 24, of Nibley Close, Warndon. Both were jailed for 36 months.


Richard Johnson, aged 35, of Barbourne Road was jailed for five years and four months as was Mohammad Sadiq, from Wolverhampton.


Gary Griffin, aged 33 of no fixed address, Leighton Bowkett, aged 39, of Brookthorpe Close, Warndon, and Michael Juson, 45, of no fixed address, who were described as "runners" in the conspiracy each got 20 months.


The judge described them as "idiots" and said without their involvement the people who organised the supply of drugs and often did not get caught would not be able to operate.


Muddsiar Shabit, aged 31, of Friesland Close, Blackpole was jailed for three years 8 months with six months for the possession of the Class B drug mcat to run concurrently. Mark Machae, aged 39 of Gresham Road, Dines Green, was jailed for 20 months.


John Francis, aged 34, of Wyld's Lane, was jailed for two years and Rohan Hanchard-Kerr, from Wolverhampton, aged 21, got four years four months with two and a half years concurrent for supplying cannabis.


Four others from the Wolverhampton area are due to go for trial in May next year.


Recorder Andrew Easteal said: People who live in the city and the surrounding areas deserve to be protected. They have a right to be angry about this case.


He told Shabir, who had said to police "It's a job. I need the money" that he now found himself in crown court. "It's not a job. It's a crime," he said.


He said the officers involved would no doubt be commended in due course but he wanted to express his admiration.


He said they should all be extremely proud particularly the undercover officer who had literally put his life on the line in a very stressful and frightening operation.