Eight people jailed for multi-million-pound conspiracy to supply cocaine

Following an extensive Wiltshire Police investigation, eight people have been jailed for a multi-million-pound conspiracy to supply cocaine across the southwest.

For almost five years, the group – led by brothers Warren and Kelroy Allison – used encrypted communications networks to ship more than 70kg of cocaine across the region, purchasing in bulk and then breaking it down into smaller quantities to distribute onwards.

Following a twelve-week trial at Winchester Crown Court, they were sentenced yesterday (06/02) to a combined 82 years’ imprisonment.

The ringleader, Warren Allison, was jailed for 23 years. 

Count 1: Conspiracy to Supply Cocaine – January 2016 to June 2020

At the heart of the operation were brothers Warren Allison, from Swindon, and Kelroy Allison, from Trowbridge, who ran a significant cocaine operation over a four-and-a-half-year period.

Richard Cowell was recruited as a trusted driver, using a specially modified vehicle provided by the Allison brothers, containing a purpose-built concealment, to covertly and securely courier huge quantities of Class A drugs and cash on behalf of the brothers across the southwest. Cowell used an EncroChat phone with the handle name SouthKangaroo, and admitted in trial also couriering cash and drugs on behalf of other organised crime groups.

During the period, it’s estimated that in excess of 70kg of cocaine was supplied around the country, primarily the southwest, with an estimated street value of £5.6m to £7m.

Porcia Densley, who was in a romantic relation with Warren Allison, acted as the ‘finance manager’, delivering and collecting cash from customers and couriers, transferring money to various people on Warren’s instruction, and managing the vast quantities of cash generated as part to their criminal enterprise. Her role allowed Warren Allison to run the drug business smoothly.

Count 2: Conspiracy to Supply Cocaine – August 2020 to November 2020

Count 2 again involved Warren Allison, and culminated in the seizure of 4kg of cocaine at Ronayne Walk in Bristol on November 3, 2020.

Warren acted as a broker for the cocaine deal – with an estimated street value of £320,000 to £400,000 – to be delivered to his cousin, Anthony Burke. The cocaine was supplied by Albanian nationals Ledian Hoxha and Pjeter Pisha.

Police surveillance officers captured the moment the drugs were delivered and shortly after it was received by Anthony Burke, officers forced entry to the address, detained and arrested Burke, and located the cocaine inside a bag for life.

Enid Aliko had assisted in facilitating the drugs supply, by providing an encrypted SKY ECC device, and then acting as a conduit for the Albanian crime group and Wiltshire-based drugs suppliers following the arrests.

Following the seizure of the drugs, members of the group including Hoxha and Pisha fled the UK in an attempt to evade arrest.

The investigation

Thanks to local intelligence, the Wiltshire Police Serious Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) commenced an investigation into the group in 2020.

The use of covert policing tactics including surveillance demonstrated the scale of the offending, and identified other people involved in the Allison brothers’ criminality.

By forensically examining thousands of documents, phone reports and telecoms data, connections were drawn between the Allison brothers and their multi-million-pound Class A drug operation.

Further support was provided by the National Crime Agency, assisting in accessing the highly encrypted SKY ECC communication devices, revealing the level of disruption and panic that had been caused by the shutdown of the EncroChat network by French law enforcement in June 2020.

Evidence was also obtained following the execution of a warrant obtained by Chippenham Neighbourhood Policing team in 2021 at the home address of Kelroy Allison. His mobile phones were found to contain years of drugs ledgers, and evidence of drugs trafficking going back to January 2016.

Trial and sentence

During the trial, the Allison brothers and Richard Cowell claimed that the messages and evidence relied upon were not in fact referring to cocaine, but counterfeit clothing, and that it was a delivery of clothing that they were expecting to be delivered to Anthony Burke on November 3, 2020.

It was also proven during the trial that Warren Allison had been the user of the Encrochat handle LegalMaster.

Following a trial, the Allison brothers, Cowell, Burke and Densley were found guilty. Aliko, Pisha and Hoxha had previously pleaded guilty to count two.

Yesterday (06/02), the eight defendants were sentenced as follows:

• Warren Allison, 36, of Sherford Road, Haydon Wick, Swindon, for two counts of conspiracy to supply cocaine: 23 YEARS
• Kelroy Allison, 41 of Moyle Park, Hilperton, for one count of conspiracy to supply cocaine: 16.5 YEARS
• Richard Cowell, 57, of Godolphin Close, Freshbrook, for one count of conspiracy to supply cocaine: 9 YEARS
• Porcia Densley, 38, of Burnet Close, Melksham, for one count of conspiracy to supply cocaine: 8 YEARS
• Anthony Burke, 34, of Pennyroyal Grove, Bristol, for one count of conspiracy to supply cocaine: 8 YEARS
• Ledian Hoxha, 38, for one count of conspiracy to supply cocaine: 7 YEARS 4 MONTHS
• Pjeter Pisha, 37, for one count of conspiracy to supply cocaine: 6 YEARS 8 MONTHS
• Enid Aliko, 28, for one count of conspiracy to supply cocaine: 4 YEARS

Investigating officer DC Matthew Harvey of SOCU said: “This investigation has systematically broken up a significant operation which was dealing huge amounts of cocaine across not just Wiltshire but the southwest region and beyond.

“The drugs that the Allison brothers, aided by Cowell and Densley, dealt between 2016 and 2020 will have contributed to the social, health and economic impact that cocaine has in the country, such as the associated issues of anti-social behaviour, drug-related violence and acquisitive crime.

“There is also the considerable violence and exploitation which takes place along the supply chain.

“The ringleader behind the organised crime group, Warren Allison, has now been sentenced to more than two decades’ imprisonment, while his brother Kelroy has been jailed for more than 16 years.

“Their wider associates have also been jailed for several years. Intelligence from this operation enabled numerous other targeted arrests, operations and disruptions to be made to many other organised criminals across our region with whom the Allison brothers had been criminally associating with.

“I hope these sentences show that those involved in organised criminal activity are not untouchable or above the law – there are dedicated teams targeting these individuals, and they can be brought to justice.

“I want to highlight the importance of community intelligence in cracking a case like this.

“We know that Warren purchased numerous high value vehicles, including a Lamborghini Huracan, Mercedes C63 AMG and an Audi RS6, with his ill-gotten gains. These extravagant displays of wealth do not go unnoticed by the public, nor the Police.

“If there’s anything which you think could be suspicious, please report it. Any piece of intelligence could be vital.”