‘Bunny’ the final member of heroin supply drug gang sentenced, Dr Chris Wood prosecutes and Shaun Dryden defends.
Park Square BarristersOn the 8th February 2024 at Teesside Crown Court Christopher Walker, also known as ‘Bunny’ because of his distinctive front teeth was convicted for his role in a conspiracy to supply heroin from the Manchester/Liverpool area into Teesside. The offence dates back to 2011-2013 and involved more than 9 other conspirators spread across the Manchester and Teesside areas.
Christopher Walker was involved in the conspiracy for approximately 5 months, however during his time was instrumental in ensuring drugs were brought into Teesside and securing payment from senior members of Teesside Organised Crime Groups and would socialise with them when he visited the area himself. Like his other conspirators he would regularly change his number to reduce the risk of detection by police.
Under Operation Cobweb, the largest undercover drug operation in Teesside up to 2015, uncovered the extent of the conspiracy. During the time Walker was known to be involved in the conspiracy police had seized 7kg of heroin and £130,000 in cash. Through the use of cell-site data analysis and ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) the prosecution was able to piece together the extent of the drug network and involvement of the other drug conspirators.
In December 2011 Walker left a property he had rented in the Ingelby Barwick area and left behind packaging for an anti-surveillance sweeping device which was later found at the home address of the head of the drug conspiracy, Jed Hank.
After Walker went on holiday to Ibiza with his fellow conspirator, Ben Crombie, in May 2012 Walker stopped being involved in the conspiracy. However, police were soon after this closing in on the drug gang and began arresting those involved. Whilst police attempted to arrest Walker his whereabouts became unknown; he was last known to have visited a hotel in Wales in October 2012. It wasn’t until 2022 when Walker took out a mortgage to purchase his £600,000 property in Manchester police were able to arrest him.
On the 28th February 2024 Walker was sentenced to 10 years for his role in the conspiracy to supply of heroin.
Operation Cobweb is reported to have seen 31 people jailed for a total of 230 years for their involvement in the multi-million pound drugs ring.
BBC reporting: Operation Cobweb: Final member of Teesside drugs gang jailed – BBC News
Cleveland Police article: Man jailed for ten years as part of the force’s biggest ever drugs enquiries | Cleveland Police
Gazette Live reporting: Ferrari, £600k home and Ibiza trip: Final member of heroin supply gang ‘Bunny’ jailed after 10 YEARS – Teesside Live (gazettelive.co.uk)