Five members of a county lines drug gang known as the Scouse Dave Line have been jailed following a major police investigation into their drug trafficking network between Liverpool, Gosport, and Plymouth.
During a two-day hearing at Portsmouth Crown Court, seven members of the gang were sentenced, with the remaining six conspirators set to face sentencing at a later date.
Sentences handed down:
Adam Hughes (38) – 8.5 years
Gary Cranney (41) – 7 years
Lee Richardson (27) – 9 years
Max Pike (28) – 5 years, 7 months
Clayton Donnelly (21) – 4.5 years
Two other gang associates, Donna Yuen (48) and Demi Hannon (27), received a two-year suspended sentence and a two-year community order, respectively.
Earlier this year, brothers Anthony and Brian Siner, the gang’s leaders, were jailed for a combined total of more than 30 years. Brian Siner controlled the Plymouth operation from his prison cell while serving a 14-year sentence for previous drug offences.
Massive Drug Operation Dismantled
The Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary, with support from Merseyside Police and Devon & Cornwall Police, led the investigation, resulting in the seizure of 4kg of drugs, over £30,000 in cash, and multiple weapons, including a knuckle duster and a blank-firing handgun.
Between January 2022 and March 2023, the gang is believed to have sold at least 34.6kg (76.3 lbs) of heroin and crack cocaine in Gosport and Plymouth.
Police described the gang’s operation as being “run like a business,” with members receiving wages before returning home to their families. The gang’s activities were carefully structured, involving ground-level runners, operational managers, and senior leaders.
So far, 17 conspirators have pleaded guilty, with those sentenced already receiving over 74 years in prison combined. Authorities say their efforts have successfully disrupted the gang at all levels, significantly weakening county lines drug trafficking in the region.
