{"id":1461,"date":"2026-05-09T09:17:28","date_gmt":"2026-05-09T09:17:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/grimsby-drug-ring-that-led-to-14-overdoses-and-deaths-smashed\/"},"modified":"2026-05-09T09:17:28","modified_gmt":"2026-05-09T09:17:28","slug":"grimsby-drug-ring-that-led-to-14-overdoses-and-deaths-smashed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/grimsby-drug-ring-that-led-to-14-overdoses-and-deaths-smashed\/","title":{"rendered":"Grimsby drug ring that led to 14 overdoses and deaths smashed"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"article-body\">\n<h2 class=\"LeadText_lead-text__wd_PA __className_5699b0\" data-testid=\"leadtext\">A crime ring was selling a contaminated batch of drugs laced with synthetic opioid described as 1,000 &#8211; 1,500 times more potent than morphine. Two of its members have been dealt with at court in Grimsby<\/h2>\n<p><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX ImageEmbed_image-lead__Ti3qQ\" data-testid=\"leadimage\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37132948\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Drug dealers were pushing heroin with an enormously high potency before the law caught up with them\" loading=\"eager\"  src=\"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/0_grimsby_crown_court7_bs_0000000002345857.jpg\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Drugs ring smashed, court hears\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Drugs ring smashed, court hears<cite aria-label=\"Image: BPM MEDIA\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: BPM MEDIA)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Police smashed a <a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/drugs\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">drugs ring<\/a> peddling heroin, some laced with a synthetic opioid up to 1,500 more potent that morphine, a court head.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Two <a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/%20https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/uk-news\/kent-drug-dealer-pocket-dialled-37100921\" rel=\"nofollow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">dealers<\/a> were jailed after prosecutors told how an organised crime ring was selling a contaminated batch of drugs which led to 14 overdoses, some of which proved fatal.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/grimsby-town\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">Grimsby<\/a> crown court heard some of the drugs were laced with Etonitazene, described as a synthetic opioid 1,000 &#8211; 1,500 times more potent than morphine. The judge said he did not link the men to the deaths as there was no evidence that what they were selling was responsible.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37132951\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37132951\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.52\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital, Grimsby\" loading=\"lazy\"  src=\"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/0_The-Diana-Princess-of-Wales-Hospital.jpg\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital, Grimsby\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital, Grimsby<cite aria-label=\"Image: Donna Clifford\/GrimsbyLive\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Donna Clifford\/GrimsbyLive)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p><span data-testid=\"readmore\" class=\"ReadMore_readmore-prefix__xS44r __className_877b99\">READ MORE<!-- -->: <span class=\"ReadMore_readmore-link__eF9pN\"><a target=\"_blank\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" data-tmdatatrack=\"read-more\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37125938\" data-tmdatatrack-source=\"editorial\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/politics\/local-elections-2026-live-reform-37125938\" tabindex=\"0\">Local elections 2026 live: Keir Starmer receives backing but told to &#8216;turn things around&#8217; as Labour pounded by Reform<\/a><\/span><\/span><span data-testid=\"readmore\" class=\"ReadMore_readmore-prefix__xS44r __className_877b99\">READ MORE<!-- -->: <span class=\"ReadMore_readmore-link__eF9pN\"><a target=\"_blank\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" data-tmdatatrack=\"read-more\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37124440\" data-tmdatatrack-source=\"editorial\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/uk-news\/woman-24-dies-hospital-after-37124440\" tabindex=\"0\">Woman, 24, dies in hospital after paramedic &#8216;thought she was overreacting&#8217;<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Detectives said the dealers operated a 24-hour drugs line, the busiest they had investigated, with 900 messages being sent out to 300 users, with drugs delivered to addresses across the region.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Owen Barker, 23, and Jack Baker, 20, both admitted drug supply. Louise Reevell, prosecuting, said Barker had run up debts with other dealers and agreed to sell drugs to try to clear it. He was not prepared to name anyone else involved. Baker was caught bagging and weighing drugs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The court heard an alert was raised in January this year when four separate drug related overdoses were confirmed at Diana, <a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/Kate-middleton\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">Princess of Wales<\/a> Hospital, in Grimsby. Enquiries between the hospital and police led to the arrest of Barker. At the time he was on licence from prison for previous drug offences, for which he was sentenced to three years and eight months.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Forensic examination of a phone seized at his home showed the drug line became active in March 2025. Between August last year and January this year there were around 900 bulk messages issued to between 150 and 300 people offering drugs each day.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Miss Reevell said: \u201cIt was active 24-hours-day. It was the busiest drug line the police have seen in this area. It would require numerous people to bag up the drugs and deliver.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">When police arrested Barker they found drugs, scales and \u00a3125 in cash. There were 373 bags of cocaine, of 84-92% purity, and a street value estimated at \u00a33,730. There were also 160 bags of heroin valued at \u00a31,600<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Miss Reevell said: \u201c<a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/humberside-police\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">Humberside Police<\/a> are investigating 14 overdoses which include a number of deaths and a coroner is investigating and awaiting toxicology results on samples.\u201d She added: \u201cThis substance is a significant risk to the public and drug users in particular. It was being used as a bulking agent.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">When Baker\u2019s address was raided \u00a3300 cash was found and his phone seized. He told officers: \u201cYou don&#8217;t understand. I have to do it. I can&#8217;t tell you about them. It is worse for me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Curtis Dunkley, defending Baker, said his client had pleaded guilty early and had a difficult time after failing his GCSEs and not finding employment. He was in Hull and isolated and fell into the pressure from others to sell drugs. He said: \u201cHe regrets it deeply and acknowledges he is wasting his whole life. He said he had no hopes or dreams.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Aaron Dinnes, for Barker said: \u201cIt is a tale as old as time. It shows the horrifying effects drugs have with people involving young people to sell drugs. He did not know how to get out of the hole he was in.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cHe knows he made a terrible mistake. It was a line operated for 24 hours and he was a small cog in a large machine.\u201d He said he was not living the lifestyle of someone doing well with dealing in drugs. He said his client was engaged under pressure and is fearful of speaking out too much.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Judge Gurdial Singh said he was careful not to link the two men to the deaths because there was no evidence that what they were selling was responsible for them and they did not know what they were supplying.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">He said: \u201cBut I cannot ignore the potency of what was being supplied by you. It clearly was incredibly potent and that is something I have to bear in mind.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cYou were addicted or naive. You were expendable. But you knew what you were doing and agreed to be part of the activities.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">He added: \u201cThe drugs had the potential to be fatal. I don\u2019t suggest you knew that. But there is that danger. This was a substantial operation that you were in. Both of you played an essential role with potential lethal drugs flooding the streets of Hull and Grimsby.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">He jailed Barker for three years and nine months and Baker must serve three years in a Young Offenders Institution.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/uk-news\/grimsby-drug-ring-led-14-37132896\" target=\"_blank\">Source link<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A crime ring was selling a contaminated batch of drugs laced with synthetic opioid described<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1462,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1461","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-crime"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1778318248_0_grimsby_crown_court7_bs_0000000002345857.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1461","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1461"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1461\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1462"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1461"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1461"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1461"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}