A drugs kingpin who spent his profits on a lavish lifestyle is behind bars.
Mark Dainty from Gloucester was jailed for nine and half years yesterday for his part in a cocaine-running conspiracy believed to be worth £250,000.
The 46-year-old, of Southgate Street, splashed his ill-gotten gains on a £25,000 speedboat, flashy cars and exotic holidays.
He also bought expensive equipment for his Dockside Superbikes business.
Dainty organised couriers to take the cocaine on 200-mile trips to and from Leicester. Three men who helped him have also been locked up. The were caught after police traced courier Erik Thomas and collared him near J12 of the M25. They have released dramatic footage of his attempts to escape by driving over the central reservation and flinging a bag of high purity cocaine out the window. Thomas was arrested on suspicion of supply of the class A drug. Girlfriend Donna Gittings was travelling with him and arrested on suspicion of possession of a class A drug. Gloucestershire police's Serious and Organised Crime Unit has been praised by the court for its extensive investigation which led to Dainty being identified as the man orchestrating the cocaine supply. They used surveillance and intelligence on mobile phones to gather evidence. Dainty was arrested along with several other members of the gang. Police also seized cocaine with a street value in excess of £100,000 and believe the conspiracy as a whole was worth £250,000. Yesterday at Gloucester Crown Court Judge William Hart said he believed the drugs seized were the 'tip of the iceberg'. He added: "The supply and use of class A drugs is a pernicious and destructive blight on modern society. "Dainty, your role in the enterprise can be described as significant and even major." Dainty was sentenced to seven and a half years for the drugs offence and two years for the money laundering offences. He will serve both sentences consecutively. Detective Inspector Neil Carpenter from SOCU said: "This investigation disrupted a major supply route of cocaine into the county and my team have convicted the main person responsible. Dainty was living a luxury lifestyle with the illicit money he made by orchestrating the supply of cocaine and we're pleased to have both him and this harmful substance off our streets." The investigation led to a total of seven people appearing before the courts. Proceeds of Crime Act hearings are now expected to follow to strip the gang members of any profit they made.
Dainty organised couriers to take the cocaine on 200-mile trips to and from Leicester. Three men who helped him have also been locked up. The were caught after police traced courier Erik Thomas and collared him near J12 of the M25. They have released dramatic footage of his attempts to escape by driving over the central reservation and flinging a bag of high purity cocaine out the window. Thomas was arrested on suspicion of supply of the class A drug. Girlfriend Donna Gittings was travelling with him and arrested on suspicion of possession of a class A drug. Gloucestershire police's Serious and Organised Crime Unit has been praised by the court for its extensive investigation which led to Dainty being identified as the man orchestrating the cocaine supply. They used surveillance and intelligence on mobile phones to gather evidence. Dainty was arrested along with several other members of the gang. Police also seized cocaine with a street value in excess of £100,000 and believe the conspiracy as a whole was worth £250,000. Yesterday at Gloucester Crown Court Judge William Hart said he believed the drugs seized were the 'tip of the iceberg'. He added: "The supply and use of class A drugs is a pernicious and destructive blight on modern society. "Dainty, your role in the enterprise can be described as significant and even major." Dainty was sentenced to seven and a half years for the drugs offence and two years for the money laundering offences. He will serve both sentences consecutively. Detective Inspector Neil Carpenter from SOCU said: "This investigation disrupted a major supply route of cocaine into the county and my team have convicted the main person responsible. Dainty was living a luxury lifestyle with the illicit money he made by orchestrating the supply of cocaine and we're pleased to have both him and this harmful substance off our streets." The investigation led to a total of seven people appearing before the courts. Proceeds of Crime Act hearings are now expected to follow to strip the gang members of any profit they made.
