Two gang leaders behind a Class A drug operation that supplied crack cocaine and heroin throughout Wisbech have been sentenced to prison.
Fred Cook, 22, described by authorities as the ringleader, and Billy Venemore, 20, his second-in-command, were found guilty of flooding the area with drugs and were sentenced following a police investigation that revealed the extent of their operation.
Cook was arrested on June 19, 2024, at his West Walton residence, where officers uncovered luxury designer goods worth over £40,000, a cash counting machine, and £490 in cash. His mobile phone contained hundreds of incriminating text messages detailing drug deals across the town.
Venemore, of Laburnum Close, Wisbech, had been arrested earlier on May 25 in a known drug hotspot. His phone linked him to drug deliveries and identified him as Cook’s deputy. Police matched his messages to physical drug pick-up locations throughout Wisbech.
Cook was sentenced to five and a half years in prison after admitting to supplying crack cocaine and heroin, and acquiring criminal property. His sentence also includes crimes uncovered by Norfolk Police, including fraud and money laundering. He was previously caught with £1,000 in cash during a stop in Downham Market in August 2022, and later found to have created fake car insurance policies and provided false details to evade speeding tickets.
Venemore received a two-year and four-month sentence after pleading guilty to being concerned in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine, and possessing cannabis.
Authorities say the sentences mark a significant blow to organized drug activity in the area.
