Member of OCG jailed for supplying cannabis and cocaine in Alderley Edge
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A member of an organised crime group (OCG) responsible for supplying cannabis and cocaine in Alderley Edge has been jailed.
Khan Gorgulu, 23, of Red Bank, Manchester, was found guilty of conspiracy to supply class A and B drugs following an eight-day trial at Chester Crown Court.
On Wednesday 27 March, he was sentenced to six years and six months imprisonment.
Giovanni Spada, 37, of Shaw Drive, Knutsford, previously appeared at Chester Crown Court on Thursday 26 October 2023 for his involvement in this case. He was jailed for six years after admitting conspiracy to supply class A and B drugs.
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A further two people were handed suspended sentences on this date after pleading guilty to their involvement in the OCG.
Between January 2021 and February 2022, Cheshire Police conducted an investigation into the supply of cocaine and cannabis. The operation identified numerous individuals working together to facilitate the supply of drugs and collected evidence of them operating within Alderley Edge and surrounding areas between November 2020 and January 2021.
Spada and Gorgulu were both heads of the OCG, purchasing bulk amounts of drugs from Rochdale, Essex, and Wales before bringing them to Cheshire and distributing the drugs personally or through a series of sub-dealers, around the local community and beyond.
Spada and Gorgulu were also involved in the preparation of the drugs for onward supply, including the adulteration of cocaine to maximise profit.
Spada was shown to accept payments for drugs into his bank account and over a two-year period, evidence showed he received more than £47,000.
Gorgulu also received payments totalling more than £33,000 from third parties over a two-year period. In this same period, he gambled large sums of money and invested in stockbrokers and crypto currency.
Cheshire Police’s investigation into the OCG began following the arrest of Spada on 29 January 2021, after officers attended an address in Alderley Edge to arrest Spada for a separate unrelated matter.
A search of the address revealed quantities of cash, cannabis, and cocaine, as well as scales, snap bags, and mobile phones. A total of 996.7g of cannabis and 71.13g of high purity cocaine was seized, with a total potential value of up to more than £14,400.
During the course of the investigation, police recovered further evidence of drug dealing. This included a number of dealer’s lists used by members of the OCG to keep track of their accounts. Flare messages were also attributed to mobile phones used by the group to advertise drugs for sale, plus other messages relating to the supply of drugs.
Examination of the mobile phones revealed Gorgulu was involved in the supply of drugs. He had been using an alias to avoid detection, however Gorgulu’s downfall came when officers recovered a photograph of him at the dentist which he had sent to Spada amongst messages about drugs.
Following this and other investigative work, officers were able to identify him and prove his involvement in the conspiracy.
He was arrested on 15 May 2021.
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Police Constable Sam Needham said:
“This is a great result, with two drug dealers jailed for a considerable length of time and a large quantity of illegal drugs taken off the streets.
“Our investigation placed both Spada and Gorgulu at the head of the OCG, pocketing large amounts of money from their criminal activities.
“However, this case makes it clear that crime does not pay – both were brought to court to be held accountable for their actions and, despite Gorgulu’s efforts to deny his involvement, both are now behind bars.
“I hope this reassures the community that we are committed to tackling illegal drugs activity and if anyone has any concerns about this happening in their neighbourhood, they should get in touch with us through our website or by calling 101.
“You can also report information anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”