A gang boss from Blackburn who named his drug line after his Staffordshire bull terrier ‘Pablo’ has been jailed.
Nico Moorby claimed the thousands of pounds he and his gang made from selling class A drugs instead from his dog breeding business.
Moorby, 31, and his co-conspirators were part of a WhatsApp group called ‘The Firm’ which they used as a way for drug users to contact them to arrange to buy cocaine.
Moorby was the head of the OCG along with his lieutenant Luke Johnson but was also the muscle of the group - the enforcer who would issue threats to drug users when their debts weren’t paid on time.
Members of the gang were jailed this week for more than 40 years.
The East Lancashire OCG had supplied class A drugs for almost five years before it was brought down by our officers.
Three members – Luke Johnson, Elliot Cooke and Luke Bunten - fled to Spain to try and evade capture but were arrested, Johnson and Cooke in February last year and Bunten in March this year.
This gang made significant amounts of money peddling drugs on our streets but despite their best efforts to cover their tracks and to evade capture are now behind bars. We will continue to tackle those who bring harm to our communities by dealing in illegal drugs by dismantling this gangs and putting those involved before the courts.
Operation Warrior is our response to tackling serious and organised crime in Lancashire and delivering on Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw's Fighting Crime Plan priority of disrupting and dismantling organised crime.
At Preston Crown Court yesterday (May 20th) the following people were jailed:
Nico Moorby, 31, Royal Oak Avenue Blackburn - 11 years eight months for conspiracy to supply cocaine and money laundering
Luke Johnson, 25, Staff Crescent Blackburn - eight years and five months for conspiracy to supply cocaine and money laundering
Elliot Cooke, 32, Sandy Lane Darwen - eight years and five months for conspiracy to supply cocaine and money laundering
Alex Tattersall-Derbyshire, 28, Woodbury Avenue Blackburn - four years and six months for conspiracy to supply cocaine and money laundering
Luke Bunten, 32, Lytham Road, Blackburn - eight years for conspiracy to supply cocaine and money laundering
A sixth member of the gang Dexter Slater, 26, Whitaker Drive, Blackburn will be sentenced next month.
Pablo the dog is now being cared for by others.
Motorcyclist dies after collision with car in Accrington
Burnley celebrates formal affiliation with Royal Navy frigate HMS Active
Nelson business fined for seven food hygiene offences
Bacup man jailed for life for murder of Luke Harden
Hyndburn MP backs Burnham
Taxi office plan in Blackburn
Burnley MP jobs plea
Just one week to go until Darwen Live
