Drug dealers posed as key workers to sell 'industrial quantities' of cocaine out of Bulwell flat during lockdown

Stephen Lees and Matthew Whorlow ran a multi-million-pound drug trafficking operation from a small flat in Bulwell – hiding in plain sight as they travelled with vast sums of drugs and cash.

Detective Inspector Mark Adas, of Nottinghamshire Police revealed that Lees operated as the UK head of an international drug trafficking conspiracy, managing the collection, storage, and distribution of cocaine.

He recruited Whorlow to provide cover when national coronavirus restrictions threatened to strangle his operation.

Whorlow worked for a traffic management company and, as such, was able to drive anywhere in the country in his flat-bed works truck.

Between March and June 2020 regional detectives established that the pair had supplied cocaine with a street value of more than £4.5million to organised criminal gangs in Nottinghamshire, Greater Manchester and the West Midlands.

The drugs would then work their way through local distribution networks before being sold on the streets.

One day in May 2020 they were caught on CCTV wearing distinctive high visibility trousers as they drove in the van containing several sets of temporary traffic lights.

They returned to Lees’ flat with a box and bag containing 20 kilograms of cocaine which was later sold on.

On June 11, Lees used the same ruse to collect 21 kilograms from a contact at Kettering Service Station. However, on this occasion police were lying in wait outside Lees’ flat in Springhead Court.

Inside they recovered the drugs and more than £90,000 in cash that was hidden under the floorboards.

In a desperate bid to escape, Lees jumped from a window and sustained a broken ankle as a result.

Whorlow was implicated after detectives linked him to the crime with evidence found in Lees’ flat. This included an encrypted ‘encrochat’ mobile phone used to communicate with other criminals.

Both men denied all knowledge of the conspiracy but later admitted to charges of conspiracy to supply class A drugs, conspiracy to import class A drugs and conspiracy to conceal and convert criminal property.

Appearing at Harrow Crown Court on March 25, Lees, 44, of Hoylake Crescent, Bilborough was jailed for 13 years and two months.

Whorlow, 40, of Goldham Road, Strelley, was jailed at an earlier hearing for ten years and nine months.

DI Adas said: “It goes without saying that most drug dealers prefer to operate in the shadows – keeping a low profile doing all they can to avoid drawing attention to themselves.

“However, Lees and Whorlow adopted the very bold approach of operating in plain sight and driving around openly in a very distinctive vehicle.

“It was clear that they saw this approach as a way to blend in during lockdown, when far fewer cars were on the road and tight restrictions were placed on individuals’ freedoms.

“As most people remained at home and thousands of others lost their lives, Lees and Whorlow used the pandemic as an opportunity to commit very serious criminal acts.”