Droylsden and Clayton dealers among gang jailed in £1.6m cocaine case

A major drugs gang responsible for supplying millions of pounds worth of cocaine across North Manchester has been dismantled following a covert police investigation that led to the sentencing of seven people at Manchester Crown Court.

The Campbell family organised crime group (OCG) was taken over by Lee Campbell, 43, of Beswick, after his brother Thomas Campbell was found murdered at his home in July 2022. Detectives say Lee Campbell inherited the operation and ran a “highly organised and fully operational” drugs line distributing large quantities of Class A drugs across the region.

Following a series of leads, detectives launched a covert investigation in 2024 using surveillance and phone data analysis to track the group’s movements and communications. A mobile number linked to the Campbell family’s operation became the key breakthrough that helped officers unravel the network.

As the inquiry deepened, officers identified Steven Quinn as a regular street-level dealer, while Carlo Tommasello and Kelly Blundell were discovered to be working closely with Campbell in managing supplies. Blundell’s home was later found to be used in the preparation and packaging of cocaine for distribution.

Further members, Stephen Mark Salinger, Mark McGrath, and Paul Taylor, were also implicated in the delivery and storage of drugs.

During surveillance, detectives observed Campbell burying large quantities of cocaine in woodland areas, including Clayton Vale and Phillip’s Park. These “purpose-made hides” were used to conceal drugs in smell-proof containers and plastic snap bags; some marked with a distinctive red star logo.

In December 2024, police uncovered 16 buried packages and two kilograms of cocaine, valued at nearly £95,600, from one of the hides. Officers later arrested Campbell as he sat at home enjoying a mince pie and a cup of tea.

A search of Paul Taylor’s home revealed a debtor’s list totalling around £40,000, alongside cocaine, cash, and mobile phones, indicating the scale of the operation. Additional seizures across addresses linked to the group uncovered drugs with an estimated street value of £85,680.

Detectives believe the gang was responsible for supplying at least 16 kilograms of cocaine, valued at up to £1.6 million.

Yesterday (Friday, 7 November 2025), at Manchester Crown Court, Crown Square, seven individuals were sentenced for conspiracy to supply and distribute Class A drugs across North Manchester and Tameside:

• Lee Campbell (13/09/1982), of Lightfoot Walk, Beswick – nine years and four months
• Carlo Tommasello (17/03/1987), of Dwarf Road, Droylsden – three years and eight months
• Kelly Blundell (22/05/1988), of North Road, Clayton – two years and eight months
• Stephen Quinn (08/03/1978), of Edge Lane, Droylsden – three years and four months
• Mark McGrath (11/02/1984), of Heather Street, Clayton – two years and eight months
• Paul Taylor (24/11/1983), of Lingfield Road – two years and eight months
• Another man received a two-year suspended sentence and 150 hours of unpaid work to be completed within 12 months.

Detective Inspector Claire Moss, from GMP’s City of Manchester North Challenger Team, said: “The City of Manchester North Challenger Team remains relentless in the pursuit and disruption of organised crime groups, and these sentences today serve as a reminder that justice will be served.

“This OCG made significant profits at the expense of vulnerable drug users and spared no consideration for anyone except themselves and their own gains.

“Our team has put a lot of time and effort into this investigation, but our work does not stop here. We will continue to tackle serious organised crime and the associated violence and exploitation that comes with it.”

She also urged the public to continue reporting concerns about criminal activity, adding: “Every piece of information, no matter how small it might seem, helps us build a clearer picture of criminal activity and take appropriate action.”

Anyone with information about suspected criminal activity can contact Greater Manchester Police on 101 or report it online at www.gmp.police.uk