Gang led by 'Boss Man' holidayed in Turkey before bug in Mercedes took them down

An organised crime group holidayed in Turkeybefore they were brought down and jailed for more than 100 years.

So-called "Boss Man" Joshua Hayes was the prime target of an operation which saw cops bug his Mercedes. He and theco-conspirators in his lucrative drugs supply linewieldedSkorpion submachine guns which they hid inside the walls of a flat - at one time employing a plasterer to make sure they couldn't be found.

Police started the process of bringing them down when they raided two flats in Litherland on July 13 searching for firearms. They didn't find any on first inspection, but after reviewing a "device within Mr Hayes' car", officers went for a second look at the address of drug user Michael Caldwell.

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Nicola Daley, prosecuting, described how this intel related to conversations between the 34-year-old and co-defendants Anthony Bennett, James Harrison and Georgie Medway which took place in the Mercedes three weeks earlier on June 21, 2024. They discussed enlisting a plasterer in order to ensure that the firearms were kept "proper safe" in a "hole in the wall".

Officers drilled through a newly plastered and redecorated area, recovering three separate bags wrapped inside a tea towel, each containing a firearm, from inside a "void" in the walls,Liverpool Echo reports.

The weapons in question were found to be two Czech-manufactured Skorpion submachine guns and a self-loading pistol. Several expanding bullets, designed to explode upon hitting a surface in order to cause maximum damage, were also recovered.

The "large scale street dealing operation" was being run by Hayes, who wore a blue Asics tracksuit in the dock and sported short dark hair. Nicola Daley, prosecuting, detailed how he supplied class A drugs to a "lot of different customers", with the listening device having recorded him discussing how he estimated the phone which he used to ply his trade to be worth in the region of £200,000.

Hayes was meanwhile heard to tell his associates that he "supplied about a quarter of a kilogram of cocaine every five days", the line having been active "between midday and 2 o'clock in the morning every day". He was also heard describing himself to others as "the Boss Man".

Ms Daley added the crown estimates that the gang supplied around 9kg of cocaine between January and July, with a potential street value of £360,000 to £900,000.

While holidaying in Turkey with Harrison and Medway, he left his graft phone in the possession of other people, including Aaron O'Brien. Hayes was found to have laundered tens of thousands of pounds of his proceeds through the Monzo and Revolut bank accounts of Kayla Wilson. The home address of Stephen Sutter was meanwhile used for "bagging up" drugs for onwards supply.

Adam Dean was similarly tasked with manning the line at one stage, seemingly receiving payments of more than £13,000 in order to do so. But he was arrested in possession of the device on June 20 while being carried in a Ford Focus being driven by John Newton.

The audio bug also captured Bennett discussing a "lab" for the production of crack cocaine at a second flat on Condron Road North. This was the home address of Matthew Ball, who was referred to as "G in the Wags" and "G Wags" by his co-defendants.

Searches of this apartment subsequently revealed bags containing 50g and 27g of cocaine, 18 knotted plastic packages amounting to nearly a kilogram of 85 per cent pure crack cocaine and a total of 132g of heroin. Quantities of an adulterant substance, a knuckle duster and other drug paraphernalia were also recovered from the property, which was unoccupied at the time of the raid.

Harrison was meanwhile evidenced to have offered "various different strains of high quality cannabis" for sale via Instagram and Telegram under the nickname "BudFellaz". During the month prior to his arrest, on July 15 last year, alone, he was shown to have offered to supply "in excess of 41kg" to his customers.

Experts estimated that, over the period of six months, this tally would have increased to "very large quantities" of around 248kg. The 28-year-old was also said to have travelled to Manchester alongside Hayes and Bennett on one occasion in order to collect "two large carrier bags", which were suspected to contain cannabis.

Matthew Ball, of Willow Way in Croxteth, admitted supplying heroin, crack cocaine and cocaine and possession of heroin and cocaine with intent to supply. The 28-year-old was imprisoned for nine years and two months by Judge Gary Woodhall on Friday.

Thomas Ball, of Sedburn Road in Kirkby, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possession prohibited firearms, supplying heroin, crack cocaine and cocaine and being concerned in the supply of ketamine and cannabis. The 18-year-old was handed four years in a young offenders' institute.

Bennett, of Oriel Crescent in Kirkdale, admitted conspiracy to possess prohibited firearms and ammunition for sale or transfer, two counts of conspiracy to possession ammunition without a certificate, conspiracy to supply ketamine and cannabis and production of crack cocaine. The 31-year-old was locked up for 17 years and seven months.

Caldwell, of Condron Road North in Litherland, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess prohibited firearms, two counts of conspiracy to possess ammunition without a certificate and conspiracy to possess prohibited ammunition. The 40-year-old was jailed for five years.

Dean, of no fixed address, admitted conspiracy to supply class A drugs and conspiracy to conceal criminal property. The 28-year-old was sentenced to four years and eight months.

Harrison, of Akenside Street in Bootle, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess prohibited firearms and ammunition for sale or transfer, two counts of conspiracy to possess ammunition without a certificate and conspiracy to supply ketamine and cannabis. He was given 15-and-a-half years behind bars.

Hayes, of Ryefield Lane in Litherland, admitted conspiracy to possess firearms and ammunitions, possession of a firearm when prohibited for life, two counts of conspiracy to possess ammunition without a certificate, conspiracy to supply cocaine and conspiracy to conceal criminal property. He was imprisoned for 20 years.

Medway, of Rosalind Way in Bootle, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess prohibited firearms and ammunition for sale or transfer, two counts of conspiracy to possess ammunition without a certificate, conspiracy to supply ketamine and cannabis and production of crack cocaine. The 21-year-old was handed 12 years.

Newton, of Rydal Avenue in Crosby, admitted conspiracy to supply class A and B drugs. The 33-year-old received a total of four years.

O’Brien, aged 24 and of Sonning Avenue in Litherland, and 33-year-old Wilson, of Eden Vale in Netherton, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A and B drugs and conspiracy to conceal criminal property. They were locked up for six years and eight months and four years and 10 months respectively.

Sutter, of Osborne Road in Litherland, admitted conspiracy to supply class A drugs, conspiracy to conceal criminal property and possession of cannabis. The 33-year-old was jailed for six years and eight months.

Merseyside Police's Detective Chief Inspector Tony Roberts said following the hearing: "I am in no doubt that communities across Merseyside are safer now that these individuals are behind bars. Members of this OCG possessed weapons, such as the Skorpion, that have been used to kill innocent people in Merseyside.

"Victims have died after being caught in the crossfire of disputes between groups like this who depend on violence, threats and intimidation to maintain their trade in illegal drugs. So many lives have been torn apart by OCGs, but we continue to work on a daily basis to rid our communities of them, bring offenders like these to justice and remove the extremely dangerous weapons and illicit drugs they possess from circulation.

"I want to take this opportunity to thank all officers involved in this investigation. Their dedication and commitment has led to this day, and it gives me great satisfaction to see their hard work pay off.

"Their enquiries established that these criminals were in possession of dangerous weapons, significant quantities of drugs and large sums of illicit cash. Officers on the ground then acted with courage and speed to detain the offenders in their homes, in cars and on the street

"Twelve people will now serve prison sentences as a consequence of their actions. Officers and staff at Merseyside Police come to work every day to protect our communities and results such as this show how worthwhile those efforts are. If you want to help us in these efforts, please give us any information you have on OCG activity and we will do everything we can to protect our communities."