Drug Gang Busted: Eight Years for Class A Kingpin!
Winchester Crown Court slammed the door on a Basingstoke drug ring today, Friday 2 December. Key players were handed hefty jail terms after a year-long police crackdown uncovered a lucrative Class A cocaine operation.
Prison for Basingstoke’s Top Dealers
- Terry Hall, 40, of Dextra Court, got eight years for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
- Darren Bryant, 38, from Skippetts Gardens, landed seven years and seven months for involvement in supplying Class A drugs.
- Saran Man-Uam, 31, of The Moorings, jailed for four years and eight months for drug supply.
- David Ratcliff, 35, received a two-year suspended sentence plus 200 hours unpaid work.
- Carla Porter, 24, of Braddock Court, got a two-year suspended sentence and 200 hours unpaid work. She pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply cocaine as well.
How Cops Cracked the Cocaine Crew
Hampshire Constabulary’s Northern Serious Organised Crime Unit uncovered the group’s operation running from December 2019 to December 2020. The gang used multiple phones—some encrypted—to peddle cocaine across Basingstoke and Andover.
On 14 December 2020, police raided a property in The Moorings, catching Bryant, Hall, and Man-Uam red-handed nearby a dining table laid with a kilo block of cocaine mid-cut, alongside scales on the floor. The drugs seized were worth a staggering £100,000 to £125,000 on the street.
Officers also scooped up cash, multiple phones, and drug dealing paraphernalia. Phone analysis revealed messages advertising Class A drugs and coordinating supply. This digital evidence also linked Porter and Ratcliff to the crime spree.
Lavish Lifestyles, Lengthy Sentences
The gang flaunted expensive cars and designer gear, funded by their illegal trade. Police seized over £22,000 in cash during the probe.
“These individuals preyed on vulnerable users to fund their flashy lifestyles with no care for the damage caused,” said Detective Constable Matt Dennis.
“Encrypted phones gave them a false sense of security, but we cracked the code and built an ironclad case. Now, they are paying the price.”
D.C. Dennis added: “Drug dealing brings misery, fuels violence and ruins communities. We’re determined to keep our streets safe by taking these dealers down.”
Help Fight Drugs in Your Area
If you suspect drug activity near you, report it. Every tip helps police stop dealers and protect local communities.
