Three drug dealers found in possession of £200,000 of cocaine have been jailed for over 21 years.
Last September, a jury found Mark Shergold guilty of conspiring to supply Class A drugs on Wearside, following a two-week trial, despite his claims of innocence.
His two associates, David Waterhouse and Dennis Cairns, had previously admitted their roles in the activity which saw large quantities of cocaine moved around Sunderland and sold on for hefty sums.
An investigation into the trio’s illicit business was launched in October 2018 as part of Operation Sentinel, Northumbria Police's response to serious and organised crime.
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A police spokesperson said: "Police tracked the group's movements and dealings, skilfully compiling a case against them, which eventually came to a head on January 14, 2019, as we watched a meeting take place between courier Waterhouse and Cairns on Ribble Road.
"Waterhouse, who was wearing a pair of black rubber gloves, was seen handing his associate a green and white carrier bag containing four kilos of cocaine, which was later found and seized at his home address.
"Following the drop-off, officers tracked Waterhouse to Southwick Road where he met Shergold."
Later that day, Cairns was arrested outside his local Sainsbury’s and Waterhouse intercepted on the A1, as he travelled home to Oldham. Shergold was also arrested at his home in Cliffe Park.
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All three were arrested and their homes searched.There police uncovered a quantity of white powder from Cairns’ Peugeot and the four kilograms he was given by Waterhouse was found inside a wardrobe.
Officers also recovered £16,000 cash and two blocks of cocaine from Waterhouse’s van and quantities of tablets and receipts showing deposits of more than £12,000 cash from Cairns’ home.
A subsequent search of a connected address on Ridley Street also uncovered three mobile phones hidden inside a nappy bag.
All men were later charged with conspiring to supply cocaine and Cairns, 60, and Waterhouse, 70, both plead guilty to supplying a Class A drug in February 2019.
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Shergold, 46, denied his involvement but was convicted of conspiracy to supply class A drugs and two counts of possessing criminal property in September 2021.
Today the men have all been sentenced as follows:
Cairns, of Rhodesia Road, was jailed for 63 months.
Waterhouse, Kingston Avenue, was jailed for 308 days.
Shergold, of Cliffe Park, Sunderland, was jailed for 15 years.
Report any suspicious behaviour on the "Tell us Something" page of the Northumbria Police website, or report anonymously to independent charity Crimestoppers.
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