Four men from Manchester have been jailed for more than 35 years for the roles they played in a “massive drugs operation” that spanned the whole of the UK.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) says the four men were snared by officers under codename Operation Achilles – which is an investigation carried out by GMP’s Challenger Team into the encrypted phone network based in South Manchester.
Evidence was gathered relating to class A and class B drug transactions and supply, and money laundering, which, according to police, was not only in Manchester, but nationwide.
The four men were jailed at Manchester Crown Court yesterday.
Mark Evans was jailed for 10 years and six months for conspiracy to supply class A drugs, money laundering, and handling stolen goods, Keith Kemp was also jailed for 10 years and six months for conspiracy to supply class A and B drugs, and money laundering, John James Reilly was jailed for 12 years for the same offences as Kemp, and Caine Tanswell got two years and eight months for conspiracy to supply class B drugs and money laundering.
GMP says the trial of the four men follows on from the “huge success” of its Operation Venetic investigations – which relates to the Encrochat mobile phone network being deciphered by the National Crime Agency (NCA).
The operation has been responsible for getting millions of pounds worth of drugs and cash of Manchester’s streets, GMP said.
At the trial yesterday, the court heard how Mark Evans acted largely as a courier with some involvement in supplying class B drugs, and mainly travelled to Liverpool to carry out his illicit trades, as well as London and Oxford.
He was also particularly active in the Cheetham Hill and Oldham areas of Manchester.
Kemp was, at times, also a courier and was active as a main conspirator for his associates, which involved him travelling to Liverpool to drop cash off and collect drugs, as well as making deliveries in Peterborough, London, Telford, Derby, and Middlesborough.
Reilly widely acted alone, but had connections with the rest of the group and carried out some “business” transactions, as well as sourcing class A drugs for other members of the group and acting as a middleman for various drugs and money transactions.
Tanswell also acted largely alone when purchasing drugs from another member of the group, and was charged with conspiracy to supply class B drugs and money laundering.
Four Manchester men who were part of a ‘massive drugs operation’ have been jailed for over 35 years / Credit: GMP
Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Sergeant Andrew Beard said: “We are absolutely thrilled with today’s result, which has seen four OCG members taken off the streets of Manchester for a considerable period of time.
“Since the Encrochat system was deciphered, GMP’s Challenger Team have continued to hunt down and identify people who have been bringing drugs onto our streets and engaging in illegal activities to keep their drug supplies going.
“If you are involved in supplying drugs, money laundering or working within an organised crime group, we will identify you, arrest you, and prosecute to the full extent of the law.
“We want to protect the people of Greater Manchester and there is no better way to do this than to get people, likes these four individuals, off the streets and behind bars.”
Featured Image – GMP
News
‘No suspicious circumstances’ ruled as body found in search for missing Manchester man Adeo Alston-Ekpei
Emily Sergeant
A body has now been found in the search for missing Manchester man, Adeo Alston-Ekpei.
The 25-year-old was last seen in Fletcher Moss Park in Didsbury at around 3pm on Friday 16 May, before later being seen walking down Kingsway away from Manchester and close to the River Mersey, at around 5.20pm that same day.
Multiple lines of enquiry were being explored by police, and some CCTV footage of his last-known movements was released to the public earlier this month.
At the time of the CCTV footage being released, a spokesperson for Adeo’s family described the missing man as ‘kind, funny, and intelligent’ with a ‘huge heart’, but they say he ‘wasn’t himself when he disappeared’.
A body has now been found in the search for missing Manchester man, Adeo Alston-Ekpei / Credit: GMP / Family Handout
“He may have come across as agitated, lost, or confused,” the spokesperson admitted. “In his last call to his mum, he was in a very vulnerable state.”
Now, after over a month of dedicated searches by all involved, detectives at Greater Manchester Police (GMP) have confirmed they recovered a body on Schools Hill in Cheadle last week.
Whilst formal identification is still to take place, the body is believed to be that of Adeo.
#UPDATE | Detectives searching for Adeo Alston-Ekpei, 25, who was last seen in Didsbury on Friday 16 May, have recovered a body on Schools Hill, Cheadle.
There are no suspicious circumstances and his family are being supported.
— Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) June 21, 2025
Police say Adeo’s family have been informed of this development, and continue to be supported through this extremely difficult time.
“We would like to thank everyone who has shared our appeals and passed their well wishes onto Adeo’s loved ones throughout this extensive search,” GMP said in a formal statement. “We would now ask that the family be allowed privacy.”
It was also confirmed that there appears to be ‘no suspicious circumstances’ surrounding Adeo’s death, and a file will now be passed to the coroner.
Featured Image – GMP
News
Four rare African ducklings have been hatched at Chester Zoo for the very first time
Danny Jones
More conversation celebration down the road at Chester Zoo, as the award-winning wildlife park has welcomed four African ducklings who belong to a rare breed.
As is so often the case with the work they do all year-round, their arrival could help signal the species’ survival in the long run, whose status was sadly upgraded from vulnerable to endangered on the official IUCN Red List.
The particular type of fowl we’re referring to is the Maccao duck, a stiff-tailed bird that typically belongs to the fresh and brackish inland waters of Eastern and Southern Africa.
Medium-sized, chunky, with big bills and subtle striping around their heads, they’re gorgeous creatures as is, but especially so as ducklings…
If you didn’t say ‘awww’ out loud, then you’re just lying.
As the Zoo itself put it, they are “rare, fluffy and VERY cute.” Celebrating what is “a breeding breakthrough for one of Africa’s rarest ducks […] so these little guys are kind of a big deal.”
These little delightful little duckies are known for diving down to the bottom of lakes and riverbeds to forage for aquatic invertebrates and plants; in fact, given the choice, they tend to prefer going underwater over flying pretty much full-stop.
As a resident species that doesn’t migrate like many other birds, they are native to nations like Namibia, Zimbabwe and Ethiopia. They’re identifiable by their dark black heads, blue bills (among the males, at least) and presence within the wetlands.
However, their estimated numbers continue to drop, and unfortunately, just 14 of their kind currently remain in Kenya and only 100 in Tanzania, with fewer than 5,000 believed to be left across the entire African continent.
Not only is this the first time the species has ever been successfully bred by bird experts at Chester Zoo, but conservationists hope ducklings will put a spotlight on the threatened species.
Their scientific name is ‘Oxyura maccoa’.Just like human babies, they prone to stuff all over their face.As far as ducklings go, these adorable little African variants are pretty special. (Credit: Supplied)
The zoo’s Head of Birds, Andrew Owen, said of their birth: “As one of just seven zoos in Europe – and 12 zoos globally – that care for Maccoa ducks, these ducklings are very special as they’re the first of their kind to ever hatch here at the zoo – making it a really historic moment for our team,
“This success gives a real boost to the future of the species, and these vital new additions will contribute to the safety-net population in zoos. These birds are facing rapid decline in the wild, so every hatchling really does count.
“To see them now out on the water inside our new Heart of Africa habitat, which is dedicated to helping Africa’s most threatened species thrive, makes this milestone even more special.”
Nothing short of brilliant news, we’re sure you’ll agree; better still, in addition to the crucially charitable and conversation-based tourist attraction being named one of England’s most popular destinations once again, but these are the only rare birds welcome by the zookeepers this month.
Emily Sergeant -
31st January 2023 
