‘Foolish’ drug gang member’s mistake which led to the takedown of the ‘AJ line’

A gang member made a "foolish" mistake which led to a huge drugs ring being taken down.

The gang, who ran the AJ Line, were responsible for selling multi-kilos of Class A and B drugs across North Wales. They even conspired to sell cannabis in HMP Berwyn in Wrexham.

They were jailed for a total of 53 years and seven months at Mold Crown Court on Friday, December 1. The court was told one conspirator "foolishly” discussed drug dealing on an approved prison phone, and was recorded by authorities, NorthWales Live reports ^[1].

Police stopped the conspirators’ cars on the M6 and M53 motorways and found heroin and cocaine during an investigation called Operation Arch. Eight members were jailed for various Class A and Class B drug offences today, with the remainder of the gang set to face justice at a later date.

Prosecutor John Philpotts said hard drugs were sources in Liverpool and distributed to the so called "AJ Line" - named after conspirator Adrian Julienne - via courier Rebecca Brockhurst.

The court heard Adrian Julienne, 25, of Stockbridge Village, was recorded discussing drug deals on an approved prison phone while in HMP Berwyn - which the judge branded "foolish" - and made "unwitting admissions". He had at least one illicit phone while in custody too.

Once released he involved his mum and sister in the plot. He used his mum's phone while his sister, Marika Hutchinson, also helped her brother over cash and she had amphetamines and scales in her home.

The court heard police tracked the conspirators during numerous trips to collect drugs from Merseyside before they brought them to North Wales. Last December Brockhurst's car was stopped on the M53 motorway and police found half a kilo of cocaine inside.

Then on January 30 police halted fellow conspirator Paul Taylor's car on the M6 motorway and found a kilo of diamorphine, also known as heroin. But the judge His Honour Simon Mills said although Brockhurst made 28 trips and Taylor took ten journeys, he couldn't simply "pluck a (total) weight (of drugs) out of the air" as it would be speculation.

Barrister Simon Mintz, for Julienne, said his client was not a wholesaler or an upstream supplier of drugs. He had "made admissions unwittingly".

He said: "He had organised a small network to supply drugs on a street level. I accept it was of some magnitude."

Simon Rogers, for Marcus Finchett, 39, said his client assisted in arranging for transport of cocaine for onward supply. But he regrets what he has done.

His partner says he is hardworking, respectful and caring and referred to his charity work. He has a “social conscience”, insisted his barrister.

Myles Wilson, for Joshua Ford, 26, of Bourne Terrace, Woodland Grove, Froncysyllte, Llangollen, said his client was not living a lavish lifestyle by working for Adrian Julienne. He was using cocaine.

Mark Connor, for Robert Evans, 48, accepted he had an operational role in converting cocaine to crack cocaine. His offence marks a “significant escalation” in his offending but he asked for as short a sentence as possible.

John Weate, for Rebecca Brockhurst, said she was the sister-in-law of another conspirator and had been struggling financially. She had been "naïve" to get involved in the plot.

Charlotte Edwards, 31, of Coed Afon, Llangollen, was said to have played Adrian Julienne's role while he was in prison and was "adversely influenced by him", the court heard. Paul Taylor, 41, of no fixed address, had been a courier of heroin and cannabis for about two and a half months.

His Honour Judge Simon Mills thanked the police for their hard work and dedication during their investigation to bring the defendants to justice. The court heard there was a separate but linked conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm to a man called Adam Coulson-Green but it did not involve drugs.

It involved wreaking some “punishment” on him for disrespecting drugs conspirator Charlotte Edwards - and was ordered by Julienne from prison. But the judge said he could not be sure a gun was involved and accepted it had "fizzled out" with no harm done to Mr Coulson-Green.

The sentences

Adrian Julienne, 25, of no fixed address, was jailed for nine years and four months for conspiring to supply heroin and cocaine. He was also jailed for one year for another drugs offence and three and a half years for conspiracy to supply cannabis to run concurrently. He also received two years for conspiracy to cause GBH to run consecutively making a total of 12 years and four months to serve.
Marcus Finchett, 29, of Fairview, Rhostyllen, Wrexham, assisted in arranging the transport of cocaine to fellow conspirator Lee Hopgood, 47, of Sweeney Drive, Morda, for onward supply to the "AJ line". He was jailed for eight years for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
Joshua Ford, 26, of Bourne Terrace, Woodland Grove, Froncysyllte, Llangollen, was jailed for five years and four months for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and nine months concurrent for conspiracy to supply cannabis. There was also one year in jail for conspiracy to cause GBH, making a total of six years and four months to serve.
Robert Evans 48, John Street, Llangollen, was known as "The Cook" as he converted cocaine to crack cocaine at his home and also sub dealt in Llangollen. He was jailed for four and a half years for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and was given a ten-month term to run concurrently for conspiracy to supply cannabis.
Graham Thomas, 38, of College Road, Oswestry, had been a driver for Lee Hopgood and allowed a safe to be kept in his house. As a "footsoldier for one of the leading lights" he could expect to go to prison, said the judge. Thomas was jailed for four years for conspiring to supply Class A drugs and eight months concurrent for conspiring to supply cannabis.
Charlotte Edwards, 31, of Coed Afon, Llangollen, was jailed for six years and eight months for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and 32 months concurrent for conspiracy to supply cannabis. She also received one year imprisonment for conspiracy to cause GBH.
Rebecca Brockhurst, 32, of Chaucer Road, Oswestry, was jailed for five years and four months for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
Paul Taylor, 41, of no fixed address was jailed for six years and five months for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, and nine months to run concurrently for conspiracy to supply cannabis.
Tyrone Hughes was not charged over the drugs conspiracy. But he was jailed for 12 months for conspiracy to cause GBH to Adam Coulson-Green, and 12 months, to run consecutively for aggravated vehicle taking in an unrelated incident. In that offence he had taken a vehicle and when the owner returned and grabbed it he dragged him for 20 metres.

Other defendants in the Operation Arch investigation will be sentenced at a later date.

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References

^{^} NorthWales Live reports (www.dailypost.co.uk)
^{^} Brianna Ghey live court updates as murder trial continues (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
^{^} Man beaten by masked gang attempting to break into building (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
^{^} Don't miss the biggest and breaking stories by signing up to the Echo Daily newsletter here (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
^{^} Get a free National Trust pass worth up to £50 for your family day out this autumn (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)