Eight jailed over 'Merry Sniffmas' 24/7 drugs line

Eight members of a gang which ran "an efficient and lucrative" 24-hour drug supply service have been jailed.

Offering special discounts to boost sales, they advertised cocaine on platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram with promotional messages such as "Have a Merry Sniffmas".

Six men and two women admitted conspiracy to supply Class A drugs across Sefton and Liverpool between October 2023 and March 2025, in what the sentencing judge described as an efficient and lucrative drugs supply operation.

They received prison sentences at Liverpool Crown Court of between four-and-a-half years and 11 years and four months.

The court heard that the eight defendants used a single mobile phone number, known as a "graft" phone, to run what was said to be a "round the clock, seven days a week" cocaine operation.

When the phone was seized, it had more than 9,000 contacts stored on it.

The gang members, aged between 37 and 57, had various roles in what the prosecution said was a "highly efficient" drugs supply conspiracy.

They would work shifts to hold and operate the graft phone.

Police estimated the value of the conspiracy to have been between £540,000 and £626,000.

This was based on activity on the graft phone and the amount of cocaine that had been found at various addresses.

All eight pleaded guilty in June 2025.

Merseyside Police said the conspiracy had "involved a level of sophistication, operating from a number of premises and vehicles".

"Drugs were advertised and broadcast through Flare messages on What's App. As an example, the graft phone had 9,600 plus contacts saved on it.

"This was a well run, efficient and lucrative exercise, and would have carried on had it not been dismantled."

The eight people sentenced were:

• Paul Lockyer, 42, of Selworthy Road, Birkdale. Eleven years and four months
• James Neary, 57, of no fixed abode but previously of Coronation Road, Crosby. Nine years and nine months
• Paul McArdle, 33, of Buckfast Close, Netherton. Ten years and one month
• Stephen Lynch, 38, of Keene Court, Netherton. Eight years
• Lee Nugent, 45, of Church Road, Waterloo. Eight years
• Julie McCafferty, 43, of Church Road, Waterloo. Six years
• Christopher Horrocks, 46, of Buckley Hill Lane, Sefton. Six years
• Michelle Higgins, 37, of Clock Tower Drive, Liverpool. Four years and six months

Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.