A CRIMINAL gang involved in supplying tens of kilos of drugs and laundering more than £1million has been sentenced to more than 60 years behind bars.

The majority of the ring used encro phones to co-ordinate their illegal dealings until officers from the West Midlands Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU) were able to decipher messages to find out who exactly was involved.

The gang of five – including a father and son – all played some role in the large-scale operation to supply cocaine, cannabis, amphetamines and launder cash between March and June 2020.

Keilum Doherty (left) and Michael Browne Snr

But then West Midlands Police officers managed to crush the illegal empire from Coventry after breaking through their secret phone network.

One of the gang, Michael Browne, is now wanted after failing to attend a trial at Birmingham Crown Court. The 28-year-old was convicted of supplying drugs and laundering large sums of money and was jailed for 24 years in his absence.

Michael Browne Jnr is still at large. s

His details have now been circulated across the UK and the world and is facing even more time behind bars when he is caught and fully brought to justice.

The sentences handed out

Callum Hewitt, 26, of Frederick Neal Avenue, Coventry, pleaded guilty to supplying cocaine during a trial and was jailed for eight years.

Jake Neilson, 33, of Berners Close, Coventry, admitted being involved in the supply of Class A and B drugs and money laundering. He was jailed for 19 years and nine months.

Keilum Doherty, 30, of Shakespeare Street, Coventry, admitted supplying Class B drugs and money laundering. He was sentenced to eight years and six months.

Michael Browne Sr, 61, of Berners Close, Coventry, pleaded guilty over the supply of Class B drugs and was jailed for three years and nine months. Records from his son’s phone showed they were not only working together to supply multi kilos of cannabis, but the drugs came via their own production.

Operation Target

It comes after police launched Operation Target – a defiant stand against a range of serious and organised crime offences. These include everything from drug dealing and burglary, to cyber-crime and fraud.

Officers will use local intelligence, seize goods, carry out warrants and target offenders as part of Op Target’s ongoing crackdown against serious and organised crime.

Ch Insp Peter Cooke, from ROCU, said: “This was a significant drugs and money laundering operation which we were able to bring down. We won’t give up until Browne Junior is arrested and brought fully to justice.

“This is part of our ongoing work to destroy drug networks and criminal gangs and this will carry on as part of Op Target.”

Anyone with information on the where Browne Jr is should contact police on Live Chat at west-midlands.police.uk or call officers on 101.

Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.