A Rossendale man has been jailed for his role in a cocaine and heroin operation involving a drugs baron who ran an illicit business from prison while his partner in crime lived a luxury lifestyle.
Operation Headland - a GMP investigation into the supply of class A drugs in Tameside and across Greater Manchester - resulted in detectives arresting nine people. Officers searched a number of homes which uncovered drugs, cash and - at Merriman’s property - designer clothing, Rolex watches and high calibre bikes.
In other messages, Lister asked for ‘work’ from Merriman and later asked for ‘half a job’, which the court heard, means ‘half a kilo’ of drugs. In messages between Merriman and Mulligan, it was made clear that Merriman had paid £34,000 for a kilo of cocaine - and between £13,500 and £14,000 for a kilo of heroin, prosecutor Helena Williams said.
A number of messages were recovered between Merriman and Carr, including a message from Carr which involved a debtors list he had sent to Merriman, asking: “Anyone else I missed?” Ms Williams said Grimes was a ‘customer’ who ordered large amounts of both cocaine and heroin over messages on a regular basis and paid large payments.
Jeanette Carr, 55, was ‘aware’ of what her son was doing, messages later showed. Between February 11 and March 19, Merriman was also in contact with an inmate in HMP Manchester, and went on to supply him with steroids during visits. Mulligan has previous convictions for producing cannabis and conspiracy to supply heroin. Lewis Carr has previous convictions for wounding. Brereton has previous convictions for possession of drugs. Grimes was said to have 17 previous convictions for 21 offences including conspiracy to commit burglary.