AN Eastville man who ran a “same-day cannabis delivery service” across Bristol with two other men has been jailed.
Joseph Wilks, aged 30, of Fountaine Court, and co-defendants Jake Herault-Redman, 26, of St Andrews, and Callum Coen, 22, from Knowle West, used social media and an encrypted messaging app to sell drugs under the name ‘The Smoke Shack’.
As well as in-person same-day deliveries to hundreds of people in Bristol, they sent drugs across the country by post.
The business was busted by the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit and Avon & Somerset police, who raided an address in Eastville in June last year.
A police spokesperson said Wilks assaulted one officer before running out of the back door of the house, but was caught and detained outside.
Coen and Herault-Redman also ran from the house but were arrested a short distance away.
The spokesperson said: “Numerous weapons including machetes, air rifles, knives and baseball bats were recovered from around entrances to the address and a machete was found on the floor next to where the officer was assaulted.
“Following his arrest, Wilks said to officers ‘the only reason I didn’t machete you in the head is because I heard you shout police’.”
Police seized 7kg of cannabis, including “edibles”, and more than £3,800 in cash during the raid.
A further £13,000 of cryptocurrency was seized from Herault-Redman’s address, along with designer clothes worth more than £3,330.
Black bin bags found at the Eastville house were found to contain hundreds of brown sandwich bags, each with a postcode and cash or cryptocurrency amounts written on them. The bags were being used to deliver drugs, with cash payments dropped into the bag in exchange.
All three men pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to supply class B drugs and acquiring criminal property. Wilks also admitted assaulting a police officer.
At Bristol Crown Court in July, Wilks was jailed for a total of four-and-a-half years, Herault-Redman to three years and three months and Coen was given an 18-month suspended sentence.
SWROCU Acting Detective Inspector Stuart Cumine said: “We estimate the group was making in excess of a hundred thousand pounds every month over a significant period of time; they even had the audacity to have ‘The Smoke Shack’ branded clothing made to promote their illegal trade.
“The sheer number of discarded brown sandwich bags found demonstrates the scale of their cannabis delivery service to people across the length and breadth of Bristol.
“If you’re buying illegal drugs, you’re not only funding organised crime groups, you are ignoring the exploitation involved in their cultivation, production and supply.”
Police are asking people to report drug dealing and other criminal activity by calling 101.
People can also call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 111 555 or visit the charity’s website.