Deborah Mason was generally known as “Queen Bee”
A “gangster granny” was working a family-based organised crime group which was making big sums of cash by transporting medication across the UK, a court docket has heard.
Deborah Mason – who was generally known as “Queen Bee” – was in command of the operation which was accountable for delivering an estimated tonne of cocaine to a community of drug sellers from Cardiff to Bradford to London in simply seven months.
Woolwich Crown Court docket heard members of the gang have been incomes round £1,000 a day from their unlawful actions whereas 65-year-old Mason was residing an lavish life-style on the earnings being made, together with forking out on fancy resorts and a Gucci collar and lead for her pet cat.
The gang has been jailed for a complete of greater than 100 years with the Crown Prosecution Service describing them as “no bizarre household”. For all the most recent court docket tales signal as much as out crime publication
The court docket heard that Queen Bee and her gang have been taken down by an in depth investigation from the Met Police in London which included in depth telephone information evaluation in addition to covert surveillance. The investigation discovered the gang was utilizing rent vehicles to gather shipments of cocaine arriving by ship at Harwich Port in Essex after which transporting them across the UK to cities and cities together with Cardiff, Bristol, Birmingham, Rotherham, Leicester, Walsall, London, and Southend.
The group used the encrypted messaging app Sign to speak with different and plan the drop-offs and collections. The messages recovered by police additionally confirmed that Mason was residing an extravagant life-style along with her earnings together with shopping for a Gucci collar and lead for her cat and forking out on luxurious out of doors backyard gadgets, resorts, and holidays.
Following the investigation, all however one of many group have been arrested in Could 2024. The ultimate member of the gang was picked up in November 2024 after being recognized from the messages.
Following an 11-week trial at Woolwich Crown Court docket, Deborah Mason, Roseanne Mason, Chloe Hodgkin, Lillie Brilliant, Demi Brilliant and Anita Slaughter have been all discovered responsible of conspiracy to produce Class A medication
Tina Golding, Reggie Brilliant and Demi Kendall all pleaded responsible to conspiracy to produce Class A medication earlier than the trial. Demi Kendall and Reggie Brilliant additionally pleaded responsible to a separate offence of possession with Intent to produce Class A medication and possession of legal property, specifically money.
Deborah Mason, aged 65, of Crayford Highway, Tufnell Park, London, was sentenced to twenty yr in jail
Roseanne Mason, aged 29, of Grosvenor Avenue, Canonbury, London, was sentenced to 11 years in jail
Demi Brilliant, aged 30, of Samuel Peto Manner, Ashford, Kent, was sentenced to 11 years in jail
Lillie Brilliant, aged 26, of Evergreen Manner, Ashford, Kent, was sentenced to 13 years in jail
Reggie Brilliant, aged 24, of Frittenden Highway, Staplehurst, Kent, was sentenced to fifteen years in jail
Demi Kendall, aged 31, of Frittenden Highway, Staplehurst, Kent, was sentenced to 13-and-a-half years in jail
Tina Golding, aged 66, of Beecholme Drive, Ashford, Kent, was sentenced to 10 years in jail
Anita Slaughter, aged 44, of Pearmain Manner, Ashford, Kent, was sentenced to 13 years in jail
The sentencing of 23-year-old Chloe Hodgkin, of Abbots Stroll, Wye, Kent, was adjourned to a date to be fastened.
Talking after the sentencing Metropolitan Police Met detective constable Jack Kraushaar – the officer who who led the investigation – stated the group had been “sucked into criminality” by the prospect of earning profits and the lavish life-style it might purchase them.
He stated: “This was a classy operation which was extraordinarily worthwhile for these concerned. Following months of labor by the Met Police to relentlessly pursue these perpetrators, we have been in a position to arrest and finally convict them, stopping extra medication flooding streets throughout the UK which ends up in violence, delinquent behaviour and distress for communities.
“The group have been sucked into criminality, selfishly attracted by the monetary advantages of the drug-dealing to fund lavish life. They have been unaware we have been coming for them and this sentencing ought to act as a deterrent to those that take into consideration committing such a crime.”
Robert Hutchinson, specialist prosecutor on the Crown Prosecution Service, stated: “This was no bizarre household. As a substitute of nurturing and caring for her family members, Deborah Mason recruited them to ascertain an awfully worthwhile legal enterprise that may finally put all of them behind bars.
The CPS labored carefully with the police from the earliest alternative to verify we had ample proof to prosecute them for the total extent of their actions. We reviewed 1000’s of messages and different digital proof that not solely revealed incriminating messages despatched between them, but additionally a major sample of deleting messages, serving to to show that all of them knew precisely what they have been doing.”
