A crime ring was selling a contaminated batch of drugs laced with synthetic opioid described as 1,000 – 1,500 times more potent than morphine. Two of its members have been dealt with at court in Grimsby
Police smashed a drugs ring peddling heroin, some laced with a synthetic opioid up to 1,500 more potent that morphine, a court head.
Two dealers were jailed after prosecutors told how an organised crime ring was selling a contaminated batch of drugs which led to 14 overdoses, some of which proved fatal.
Grimsby crown court heard some of the drugs were laced with Etonitazene, described as a synthetic opioid 1,000 – 1,500 times more potent than morphine. The judge said he did not link the men to the deaths as there was no evidence that what they were selling was responsible.
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Detectives said the dealers operated a 24-hour drugs line, the busiest they had investigated, with 900 messages being sent out to 300 users, with drugs delivered to addresses across the region.
Owen Barker, 23, and Jack Baker, 20, both admitted drug supply. Louise Reevell, prosecuting, said Barker had run up debts with other dealers and agreed to sell drugs to try to clear it. He was not prepared to name anyone else involved. Baker was caught bagging and weighing drugs.
The court heard an alert was raised in January this year when four separate drug related overdoses were confirmed at Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital, in Grimsby. Enquiries between the hospital and police led to the arrest of Barker. At the time he was on licence from prison for previous drug offences, for which he was sentenced to three years and eight months.
Forensic examination of a phone seized at his home showed the drug line became active in March 2025. Between August last year and January this year there were around 900 bulk messages issued to between 150 and 300 people offering drugs each day.
Miss Reevell said: “It was active 24-hours-day. It was the busiest drug line the police have seen in this area. It would require numerous people to bag up the drugs and deliver.”
When police arrested Barker they found drugs, scales and £125 in cash. There were 373 bags of cocaine, of 84-92% purity, and a street value estimated at £3,730. There were also 160 bags of heroin valued at £1,600
Miss Reevell said: “Humberside Police are investigating 14 overdoses which include a number of deaths and a coroner is investigating and awaiting toxicology results on samples.” She added: “This substance is a significant risk to the public and drug users in particular. It was being used as a bulking agent.”
When Baker’s address was raided £300 cash was found and his phone seized. He told officers: “You don’t understand. I have to do it. I can’t tell you about them. It is worse for me.”
Curtis Dunkley, defending Baker, said his client had pleaded guilty early and had a difficult time after failing his GCSEs and not finding employment. He was in Hull and isolated and fell into the pressure from others to sell drugs. He said: “He regrets it deeply and acknowledges he is wasting his whole life. He said he had no hopes or dreams.”
Aaron Dinnes, for Barker said: “It is a tale as old as time. It shows the horrifying effects drugs have with people involving young people to sell drugs. He did not know how to get out of the hole he was in.
“He knows he made a terrible mistake. It was a line operated for 24 hours and he was a small cog in a large machine.” He said he was not living the lifestyle of someone doing well with dealing in drugs. He said his client was engaged under pressure and is fearful of speaking out too much.
Judge Gurdial Singh said he was careful not to link the two men to the deaths because there was no evidence that what they were selling was responsible for them and they did not know what they were supplying.
He said: “But I cannot ignore the potency of what was being supplied by you. It clearly was incredibly potent and that is something I have to bear in mind.
“You were addicted or naive. You were expendable. But you knew what you were doing and agreed to be part of the activities.”
He added: “The drugs had the potential to be fatal. I don’t suggest you knew that. But there is that danger. This was a substantial operation that you were in. Both of you played an essential role with potential lethal drugs flooding the streets of Hull and Grimsby.”
He jailed Barker for three years and nine months and Baker must serve three years in a Young Offenders Institution.
