Wakefield heroin and crack cocaine gang ringleader ran '˜complex drug network'

The ringleader of a drugs gang which brought heroin and crack cocaine to the district's streets has been jailed for eight-and-a-half years.
Robert Brame.Robert Brame.
Robert Brame.

Robert Brame, 29, of Kirklees, headed up a complex network, which saw Class A drugs supplied from Cleckheaton, Dewsbury and Batley to be sold all over Wakefield.

The drugs ring was busted by police after a two year operation involving hundreds of hours of manpower. Brame was the final gang member to be sentenced at Leeds Crown Court this week, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs.

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Co-conspirator Jack Green, 21, from Wakefield Road in Earlsheaton, was sentenced to eight years in November last year after pleading guilty to the same offence. And three other men, from Cleckheaton, Leeds and Dewsbury, aged 23, 28 and 22, were sentenced in 2017.

Jack Green.Jack Green.
Jack Green.

They each pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply heroin and crack cocaine and received 28 month, 33 month and three year jail terms respectively.

In total the gang was sentenced to more than 24 years in prison.

Detective Sergeant Steve Sayles of Wakefield District CID, said: “The sentencing of Robert Brame brings an end to what has been a significant and lengthy enquiry into a well-planned drugs network, developed to sell class A drugs in our district.

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“Brame was very much the main player in this network and his lengthy prison sentence, despite a guilty plea, demonstrates how seriously the courts treat offending of this nature.”

Jack Green.Jack Green.
Jack Green.

Officers began investigating in April 2016 with arrests made in Outwood, Lupset, Eastmoor and Wakefield city centre. The operation took them first to street level drug dealers, which in turn identified the head of the chain and second in command.

Wakefield CID has said more operations are now in the pipeline and have warned dealers they have no hiding place in the district.

DCI Vanessa Rolfe of Wakefield District Police said: “Class A drugs are an utter blight on our communities and tackling the organised crime groups who supply them is a priority within Wakefield and the force.”