Father and son Christopher Welsh Snr, 55, and Christopher Welsh Jnr, 34, have been jailed for their roles in a multi-million pound drugs plot that flooded Glasgow with cocaine and heroin. The pair led a Liverpool-based gang responsible for trafficking drugs worth between £100m and £200m, Liverpool Crown Court heard.
Welsh Snr was sentenced to 15 years and four months, while his son received 16 years and eight months. The gang's lavish lifestyle included Welsh Jnr paying £57,000 in cash for his stag do and wedding in Mexico, which was attended by 40 relatives and friends.
Seven other gang members were also jailed, with sentences ranging from 12 to 14 years and eight months. They include Mark Shield, 45, Christopher Amos, 28, James Edmonds, 33, and Steven Tynan, 37. A further 21 individuals are due to be sentenced in the coming days.
Titan, the regional organised crime unit in north-west England, said its intelligence suggested at least 111 trips were made to Scotland to transport the drugs. Detective Superintendent Jason Hudson, head of operations for Titan, stated: 'This gang were responsible for flooding the streets of Glasgow with incredibly dangerous and damaging Class A drugs, profiting from other people's misery.'
He added: 'The top tier of this gang masterminded a massive criminal enterprise which helped them live the kind of comfortable lives most people would envy. They thought they were above the law. I am pleased to say that there will be no more fancy holidays abroad for these individuals.'
