TWO brothers who flooded the streets with heroin and crack cocaine have been jailed for a combined total of more than 16 years.

Scott Foote, 27, and Simon Foote, 32, were shipping vast quantities of drugs from their home city of Liverpool to South Wales and Devon.

Roger Griffiths, prosecuting, told Cardiff Crown Court Simon Foote was caught ferrying a cargo of crack cocaine when police stopped him in Newport on March 4.

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He said Detective Constable Sean Meyrick, the officer in the case, found 1kg of the drug with a potential street value of £50,000 inside the defendant’s car when he was pulled over on the A449.

South Wales Argus:

Scott Foote

The crack cocaine was destined for Swansea.

Mobile phone evidence revealed he was a regular drugs courier who had also made trips to Torbay.

He was being paid £300 a trip by his brother.

Police subsequently raided Scott Foote’s flat in Liverpool where they found 14.2kg of heroin and 4kg of cocaine.

South Wales Argus:

Simon Foote

The drugs were worth £1.5 million.

Officers also seized a stun gun.

Scott Foote, of Victoria Road, Tuebrook, Liverpool, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin and possession of a prohibited weapon.

South Wales Argus:

Drugs found at a flat Scott Foote was using in his home city of Liverpool. Picture: CPS

Simon Foote, of Dewsbury Road, Anfield, Liverpool, admitted conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and possession of crack cocaine with intent to supply.

Georgina Buckley, representing Scott Foote, asked the court to take into account his guilty pleas.

Stuart John, for Simon Foote, said his client was a former publican and qualified mechanic who had no previous convictions.

South Wales Argus:

Police seized a huge haul of heroin and crack cocaine in Liverpool. Picture: CPS

Judge Paul Hobson told the defendants: “This was a supply operation involving wholesale quantities of class A drugs and where the intention was plainly to transport these drugs from Liverpool to other cities where no doubt huge profits could be made.

“In doing so you were contributing to the misery that these drugs cause both in England and in Wales.”

Scott Foote was jailed for 11 years and three months and Simon Foote sent to prison for five years and four months.

The brothers are due to face a proceeds of crime hearing on November 3.

Following sentencing, DC Meyrick, from Tarian's regional organised crime disruption team, said: “Operation Pysgod was a proactive criminal investigation which concentrated on identifying upstream suppliers which were responsible for distributing wholesale kilo quantities of crack cocaine and heroin into the south west regions.

“The operation resulted in over 15kg of these class A drugs never reaching our streets, which could have netted the organised criminal gang in excess of £1.5m.

“Officers also recovered a viable Taser device and an imitation firearm. 

“The scale of this operation was significant, with investigating officers disrupting wholesale adulteration processes, and it is pleasing to know that these organised criminals are now behind bars and unable to continue profiting from the misery their trade brings to our communities. 

“We will continue to pursue and disrupt any criminal gangs intent on distributing controlled drugs within our region and I urge any members of the public with any information to contact their local police or Crimestoppers.”