Colchester/Chelmsford: Drug dealers jailed for combined 9 years

A tireless investigation carried out by specialist officers from our Op Orochi team, dedicated to cracking down on drug-dealing gangs, has seen two criminals jailed for a combined 9 years.

Michael Devon, 24, of Partridge Way, Stanway, was jailed for five years and eight months after admitting his role in a sophisticated cocaine-dealing operation.

Co-accused George Gorecki, 30, of Widford Close, Chelmsford, received a sentence of four years’ imprisonment during the same hearing at Ipswich Crown Court on Thursday 14 September.

Our investigation, led by specialist drugs team Op Orochi, involved the analysis of phone numbers and text messages used to market and advertise the sale of illicit substances.

Devon was found to operate as a dealer on a street-level basis, and as a supplier to other dealers in bulk quantities, using his legitimate cleaning business as a front for his criminal activity.

Across an extensive investigation, officers examined Devon’s cleaning company, finding although it had a website and Facebook presence, there was no evidence of it being an active business.

There were no reviews and no updates.

Officers analysed the phone number linked to the business, finding none of the messages seen were linked to cleaning.

The content of the messages instead appeared to be drug related.

Officers believed the business was used as a front for Devon’s illicit operation dealing cocaine.

Gorecki was found to have sent a message to Devon offering to supply an amount of cocaine for £11,000.

In October 2021, officers executed a warrant at Devon’s home address in Colchester, seizing mobile phones and a knuckleduster.

A further search was carried out at the home of Gorecki two days later, where phones were seized.

Devon admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine and possession of an offensive weapon.

A single charge of money laundering was left to lie on file after the Crown Prosecution Service deemed his guilty pleas to the other matters to be acceptable.

Gorecki denied a single charge of making an offer to supply cocaine, but due to the weight of the evidence complied against him, was convicted following a trial at Ipswich Crown Court.

In police interview, he tried to claim a message identified to be concerning drug dealing was instead about the exchange of stocks and shares.
But thanks to the evidence of police drug experts, his story didn’t hold up before a jury.

'We're working relentlessly to pursue drug dealers'

DC Robert McWilliams, officer in the case, said:

“Drug dealers, be it those operating to sell harmful substances on the street or supplying wholesale to other criminals, often think they can operate with impunity.
“The reality is far different.
“Teams within Essex Police are working tirelessly and relentlessly to bring their shady and unacceptable dealings into the light.
“The dealing of harmful substances wrecks the lives of vulnerable users and people exploited to run cocaine on the street.
“Drugs crime brings with it the use of weapons to instil fear and inflict violence as a means of control.
“This is why any operation of this scale is treated extremely seriously.”

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