The five events that led to the downfall of a Leeds drug gang during operation by West Yorkshire Police
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Prosecutors as outlined five key events which linked those involved in the illegal operation as six defendants were jailed for a total of almost 50 years at Leeds Crown Court.The conspiracy 'spanned the Pennines', with gang members making regular trips to Blackpool to collect drugs before storing them at properties in Leeds.
Leeds Crown Court heard the six-month conspiracy involved at least 10kg of high-purity Class A drugs before police arrested the offenders.
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Hide AdMark McKone, prosecuting, told the court of five incidents of officers disturbing drug dealing activity during Operation Ennendale.
They were:
Event 1. March 18 2019
Leeham Stewart drove his Mercedes to a secluded car park in Kirkstall and met with people who were in an Audi.
A man from the Audi briefly got into Stewart’s car.
A Toyota Yaris parked close by. The driver and passenger of the Yaris approached the Audi.
The prosecution said a drug exchange then took place.
At 8.15pm, the Yaris was stopped by a police officer in Chapeltown.
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Hide AdA block of 496g of heroin of 62 per cent purity, with a value of £24,800 was recovered from a man bag in the vehicle.
Phone evidence revealed significant contact between Stewart and the man in the Yaris, both just before and just after the drugs handover.
Event 2. May 24, 2019.
Police officers stopped a taxi in Roundhay at 9.15pm.
A package was recovered from the vehicle which contained 248g of cocaine at 74 per cent purity, valued at £19,887.
Police found scales, dealer bags and debt lists at the home of one of the occupants of the taxi.
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Hide AdPhone traffic showed contact between him and Stewart on the day of the arrest
Event 3. June 17 2019
A black VW Polo was seen visiting a number of addresses in Leeds.
Matande was the passenger. Sydney Angus, the registered keeper of the VW Polo, was the driver.
Just before 2pm, the Polo headed along the M62 to Blackpool.
There were three people in the car.
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Hide AdAnderson-Browne was now the driver and Matande and Munyuwara were passengers.
At 3pm, the police tried to stop the Polo in Blackpool.
The Polo drove off at speed.
After the Polo stopped, Anderson-Browne and Matande ran away but were caught by officers.
Munyurwa remained in the Polo and was arrested.
In the footwell where Munyurwa was sitting, there was a white envelope containing cocaine worth £2,480, and heroin worth £690.
Analysis of their phones revealed Matande had been in regular contact on the day with Stewart and Ndombasi.
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Hide AdAt Matande’s home at Holborn Towers, officers found an electronic safe, self-sealing dealer bags and two more phones.
Four bags were found behind a copper tank in the airing cupboard containing crack cocaine.
Multiple pieces of packaging containing traces of cocaine were found at Munyurwa’s home,
Reconstruction of the packaging showed that the dimensions of the layers of tape, cling film and rubber were consistent with the packaging used for 1kg blocks of cocaine.
Munyurwa’s fingerprints were on the packaging.
Event 4. August 1, 2019
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Hide AdAt 5.10pm, Stewart met up with someone on Chadwick Street, Leeds. Stewart had a man bag with him.
He then drove to a house in Halton Moor.
The prosecution said Stewart was collecting drugs from a storehouse to supply to another man.
At 5.30pm Stewart parked outside the Londis store on Woodhouse Grove where a man got into the car before being dropped off at a bus stop.
Police officers stopped the man as he got off a bus at the Moor Allerton Centre.
He was in possession of cocaine which was worth £1,112.
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Hide AdBusiness cards offering the sale of drugs were later found at his house.
Event 5. August 29, 2019.
Just before 5pm, Stewart parked on Holborn Street.
There had been significant phone contact between Stewart and Matande on the day.
Matande was carrying a white item and he got into Stewart's car for a minute and then left again.
Half an hour later, a man got out of Stewart's car and entered a house on Saville Drive, Chapeltown.
A short time later police officers stopped Stewart and recovered three phones and £100 in cash.