Gang members jailed

SEVEN members of a criminal gang have been sentenced to a total of 89 years in prison.

The organised crime group was headed by John Logue, 33, from Rugby who was given sentences of nine, eleven, five and 13 years for four counts of conspiracy to supply drugs.

The sentences will run concurrently, meaning he will serve 13 years in prison after being found guilty at Birmingham Crown Court.

The prosecutions follow an 18 month operation by Warwickshire Police into the Rugby based criminal gang.

During this time a total of 24 people were arrested and £75,000 of Class A Drugs was recovered.

Officers also recovered a sawn off shot gun together with debilitating spray, believed to be CS, body armour and equipment for processing Class A drugs.

Also sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court for conspiracy to supply drugs were five other gang members from Rugby, Anton Dimarino, 26, who was also sentenced for possession of a sawn off shotgun, for ten years, Luigi Licursi, 41, for eight years, Kevin Rodgers, 37, for six years, Alan Bailey, 62, for five years and Russell Kirby, 44, for ten years and Anthony Ramsey, 27, from Wolverhampton who was jailed for eight years.

Three more people from Rugby, Guy Payne, 29, Khurum Janjua and Ivan Barker, 44, and Shane Bird, 44, from Nottingham pleaded guilty at earlier hearings and will be sentenced in January.

Previously the same investigation saw Michael Cash, 26, from Doncaster, jailed for 16 months and Rachid Harkourk, 55, from Nottingham, sentenced to 28 months.

At the conclusion of the trial DI Mark Dawson said: "Operation Frittenden started in May 2010 and targeted an organised crime group based in Rugby, which was headed by John Logue.

"During the 18 month investigation, it was clear that Logue controlled a number of dealers in the Rugby area and used them to both supply or collect drugs for him, all of which were then supplied onto the streets of Rugby.

"During the enquiry over £75,000 worth of Class A and Class B drugs were recovered, the majority of which had originated from Nottingham, Oldham, Sheffield and Wolverhampton.

"This operation was a complex investigation and a large number of officers from a number of different departments were involved throughout.

"Warwickshire Police will continue to target anybody involved in organised crime and will use every available resource and investigative tactic to ensure they are brought to justice."