The final member of a prolific cocaine crime group has been jailed - meaning that together the group will stay behind bars for a total of 68 years. 

In 2020, during the pandemic, a large-scale drugs conspiracy came to light after police infiltrated a series of encrypted messages. 

A series of targeted raids in took place in Cramlington, West Denton, Walker and Newton Aycliffe, which saw police recover three kilos of high purity cocaine.

This month, the 12th and final member of the gang, Mason Schubeler, 21, was sentenced to three years for the drugs offence. This means that between them, the gang members will spend a total of 68 years behind bars. 

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Together, the goods and cash seized totals to a value of £395,000 - with high purity cocaine worth £135,000, as well as £260,000 of suspected criminal cash.

Members of the group were subsequently arrested and since December 2022, have all appeared at Newcastle Crown Court where they were convicted and jailed for their respective roles. 

Finally, Schubeler, of Marondale Avenue in Walker, appeared in court last week, where he was convicted of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs – as well as a number of other offences.

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Last week, Schubeler also pleaded guilty to two counts of kidnap, aggravated burglary and two counts of assault, in addition to his drugs offence. 

He played a part in the Coast Road kidnaps, which saw a man suffer serious injuries after falling out of a van during a terrifying plot, and another man come forward to the police.

Schubeler was jailed for 11 years and nine months to serve in a young offender’s institution.