Ten people sentenced after police break up major cocaine supply network across Essex

An organised crime network responsible for funnelling millions of pounds’ worth of cocaine into Essex has been dismantled from the top down.

Drugs courier William England, 71, became the final domino to fall last month, when he was jailed for more than five years.

England joins nine other offenders - including wholesale suppliers, criminal associates and street level dealers - who have now all been convicted and sentenced as part of this complex investigation.

In total, more than 45 years in prison sentences have been handed down.

Detectives with our Serious and Organised Crime Unit spent two years piecing together the conspiracy, unpicking a sophisticated supply chain responsible for trafficking and distributing dozens of kilograms of cocaine across Essex.

At the centre of the operation was Jack Hollister, 35, who was responsible for sourcing cocaine in bulk and supplying it onwards through a network of wholesalers and dealers.

Hollister used his company, Paradon Developments Ltd, as a front for his criminal activity.

Financial enquiries showed that around £1 million passed through the business over the lifetime of the conspiracy, despite only tens of thousands of pounds being legitimately declared.

He drove a Porsche, owned high value watches and spent large sums on home improvements at his address in Long Road, Manningtree.

He relied on England to transport large quantities of cocaine and cash between himself and his customers.

Hollister supplied cocaine to a number of wholesale dealers, including Hans Kvadsheim, 32, Terry Lawmon, 32, and Franky Brown, 28.

Officers identified Kvadsheim as a suspect after he was linked to another large-scale cocaine distributer, 38-year-old Paul West.

West, who was caught on mobile phone footage posing with large sums of cash and bragging about being a “sugar daddy”, had faced arrest back in August 2023.

This followed the execution of a warrant at a business unit in Baddow Park, Chelmsford, resulting in the seizure of 11kg of cocaine – valued at about £1 million.

West admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine and was jailed for seven years and six months in February 2024.

Our continuing investigation established that Kvadsheim used the address of his associate, Lee Hawkins, 32, in Legerton Drive, Clacton, as a base for cutting and preparing cocaine delivered by England between 2023 and 2024.

On 12 January 2024 – a day after his final meeting with England – officers moved in.

Kvadsheim was arrested while sitting in his car outside the address, in possession of two bags of cocaine.

Inside the property, officers recovered more than a kilogram of cocaine, 185g of MDMA, and dozens of empty kilogram block wrappings and packages, demonstrating the scale of drugs that had passed through the address.

A search of Kvadsheim’s own home in Pevensey Drive, Clacton, uncovered more than £13,000 in cash, Rolex watches, designer clothing, a knife and two knuckledusters.

In total, cocaine and MDMA with a street value of more than £155,000 was seized as part of enforcement action against Kvadsheim.

Terry Lawmon used his gym, Physical Limits in Clacton, as a base for selling cocaine to other dealers.

He purchased the drugs in bulk from Hollister, with England again ferrying cocaine and cash between them.

Financial enquiries revealed large cash deposits into both Lawmon’s personal bank accounts and the gym’s business accounts.

Lawmon was arrested on 3 June 2024 as he left his home address in Barco Square, Colchester.

He was carrying a designer bag containing an extendable baton and cash, and was wearing a Rolex watch.

Inside his flat, officers found a safe containing cash, a quantity of ketamine and another designer watch.

A stun gun, knife and a large collection of designer clothing and accessories were also seized.

A subsequent search of his gym uncovered a locked safe in the office containing more than 120g of cocaine, along with a large zombie style knife.

In total, more than £4,400 in cash was seized from addresses linked to Lawmon.

Franky Brown, another customer of Hollister, was arrested on 23 March 2024.

Officers saw him leave an address in North Road, Clacton, carrying a heavy bag before getting into a taxi.

When the vehicle was stopped, Brown attempted to run away and threw the bag over a garden fence. He was quickly detained.

The bag was recovered and found to contain 1kg of cocaine.

Searches of properties linked to Brown led to the seizure of £15,000 in cash, a further 50g of cocaine, almost 30g of MDMA and mixing agent.

The address in North Road was also searched, resulting in the arrest of Perry Vickers, 32, who had allowed his property to be used for the preparation and storage of drugs.

Following Brown’s imprisonment in September 2024, confiscation proceedings were pursued, leading to the recovery of more than £76,000 in criminal profit.

This money is used to fund further work by the Home Office and Essex Police to tackle drug crime, as well as supporting charitable causes through the Essex Community Foundation.

On 5 February 2024, Jack Hollister was arrested as he exited his Porsche on the driveway of his home.

Officers searching a shed in his garden found a bag containing five kilogram blocks of cocaine.

High value watches were also recovered.

Further blocks of cocaine were seized from land owned by Hollister’s company in Raydon, Suffolk.

William England was arrested the same day at his home address in Hamlet Drive, Colchester.

In total, just over 11.5kg of cocaine - with a potential street value of more than £1 million - was seized from properties linked to Hollister.

Our detectives also identified and arrested customers of the wholesale suppliers - street level dealers who received bulk quantities of cocaine to break down and sell to drug users.

These included Lewis Long, 26, and Luke Walker, 33, who purchased cocaine from Lawmon to fund their own dealing operations.

Long was arrested on 20 August 2024 at his home in Glebe Way, Jaywick. Officers seized more than 35g of cocaine, SIM cards and a burner phone.

It is estimated that between late 2023 and his arrest, he received and supplied around 840g of cocaine.

Walker was arrested on 11 November 2024 at his home in Windsor Road, Great Bentley.

Small quantities of cocaine and MDMA were recovered, alongside more than 100g of cannabis and an extendable baton.

Across an eight-month period in 2024, more than £23,000 was transferred into Walker’s bank accounts, despite limited legitimate employment.

The ten offenders involved in this organised crime network were convicted and sentenced as follows.

DI Frazer Low, of Essex Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit, said:

“This was a sophisticated and organised operation responsible for moving significant quantities of Class A drugs into our communities.
“Over the course of a detailed two-year investigation, we have methodically dismantled this network from the top down – identifying those at every level, from the organiser sourcing drugs in bulk to those distributing them on our streets.
“The individuals involved sought to profit from the harm and exploitation associated with the cocaine trade, using legitimate businesses and residential addresses to try to hide their activity.
“We have shown that this will not protect them.
“The sentences handed down, totalling more than 45 years’ imprisonment, reflect both the scale of this operation and the seriousness of the offences committed."