Two men have been jailed for their part in a multi-million-pound operation conspiracy to import and supply class A drugs.

Roy Evans, 34, of no fixed abode, was sentenced on Thursday (10 February) to almost 20 years in prison at Manchester Crown Court.

He was sentenced to 13 years and three months for importation of Class A and B drugs and six years and six months for possession of two firearms.

David Astley, 35, of Smithy Grove in Ashton-under-Lyne, was previously jailed for eight years.

On 27 May 2020, a large delivery from the Netherlands was made to a unit on Cobden Street in Salford.

Border Force officers, assisted by police officers from the Salford district, intercepted the shipment which was found to contain 50 blocks of heroin, seven blocks of cocaine, and a block of cannabis with a street value of £3.4 million.

Astley was arrested at the scene and following searches and examination of his phone, a mobile number, later identified as belonging to Evans, was found to have called the phone multiple times in the run up to the delivery.

Some of the drugs which were seized. Image: Greater Manchester Police. 

On 8 June 2020, following up on reports and intelligence that firearms were being stored at an address belonging to Evans' girlfriend in Stockport, officers from the Stockport district attended and arrested Evans, seizing two pistols and ammunition, some of which was hidden inside a sock.

Evans' phone was seized and following a detailed examination, was linked to those involved in the delivery of the drugs the previous month.

Astley pleaded guilty to being concerned in the fraudulent evasion of a prohibition on the importation of Class A and B drugs.

Evans was found guilty of being concerned in the fraudulent evasion of a prohibition on the importation of class A and B drugs and possession of two firearms and ammunition.

Detective Inspector Rebecca McGuigan, from GMP's Salford district, said: "Today's result is significant, we have successfully disrupted the distribution of drugs onto the streets of Greater Manchester, which could have destroyed relationships and wrecked the lives of not only drug users, but those engaged in the illicit supply chains.

"Furthermore two viable firearms and ammunition have been removed from the streets, and the hands of criminals. 

"This type of organised criminality will not be tolerated, and thanks to excellent detective work from officers across multiple districts, Roy Evans and David Astley have received significant terms of imprisonment.

"I would like to thank all the officers involved for their hard work, in particular Detective Constable Robert Shakespeare from GMP's Stockport district and DC Jon Shaw from GMP's Salford district, who worked tirelessly to link Evans to the drugs shipment and gather evidence.

"I hope this sentence makes it absolutely clear that criminals can't act like this, and expect to get away with it.

"I urge anyone considering partaking in this criminality to seriously think about the consequences of doing so, because we will find you, and hold you accountable."