logo
Moment 'Gangster granny' who used family to run UK-wide £80m drug empire is caught

Moment 'Gangster granny' who used family to run UK-wide £80m drug empire is caught

Daily Mirror19-07-2025
Deborah Mason, 65, headed a family-run criminal enterprise smuggling Class A drugs across Britain's major cities and recruited four of her children before being busted
Shocking footage shows the moment a 65-year-old 'gangster granny' is arrested for running a UK-wide drugs smuggling operation.

Deborah Mason headed a family-run criminal enterprise supplying nearly a tonne of cocaine over seven months across many of Britain's major cities, spending her ill-gotten gains on designer goods and her cat. The drugs had an estimated wholesale value of between £23 million to £35 million, and a street value of £80 million.

After pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, this week Mason was sent down for 20 years along with several other members of her family, including three of her daughters and her son.

'Gangster granny' spent money on designer items for cats
Under her supervision, groups of couriers collected packages of imported cocaine and drove them all over London, as well as Bradford, Leicester, Birmingham, Bristol and Cardiff, between April and November 2023.
Mason, from North London, spent her profits on designer goods, and was looking to go Turkey to have cosmetic surgery. She also bought herself an expensive Bengal cat named 'Ghost', which she lavished with a £400 Gucci collar and nine-carat gold tag.

Deborah Mason, dubbed "gangster granny" by the Metropolitan Police, directed other members of the gang and was in contact with an upstream supplier called Bugsy. She took part in 20 trips, delivering 356kg of cocaine, and also made trips to deliver and collect cash.
Mason was in "close contact" with the upstream supplier using an encrypted app, which had auto-deletion of messages set up to keep the operation secret.
Prosecutor Charlotte Hole said: "She (Deborah Mason) recruited both her family members - her sister and her children - as well as partners and friends of her children, to a network of at least 10 individuals."

Judge Philip Shorrock noted that several of the women involved in the operation have young children.
Received £50,000 in benefits while living life of crime
The court heard Mason was in receipt of in excess of £50,000 from benefits during the period covered in her trial, while acting as ringleader of the gang and spending lavishly on luxuries.

When Mason was on holiday in Dubai, her daughter Roeseanne Mason, who made seven trips delivering about 166kg of cocaine, stepped in to the directing role, the court heard. The prosecution said Roeseanne Mason collected cash for her mother and also "provided childcare so that others could work".
Another one of Mason's daughters, mother-of-two Demi Bright, made a single trip in August 2023, which involved 60kg of cocaine. She took her children with her on the two-day trip, which involved an overnight stay in a hotel. After agreeing to deliver more drugs in November 2023, she later dropped out. Demi is thought to have stepped back from the drug plot after her sister Roeseanne Mason was arrested, and the court heard she said she wanted to "go straight" but continued to help her mother in the organisation and was "aware of its scale".
Son Reggie Bright's 12 trips as part of the gang delivered at least 90kg, and there were times he collected wages for the group. He usually took trips with his partner, Demi Kendall, 31, telling her "not to get the hump because we need the money", the court heard.

Sentenced to a combined 106 years in prison
Six women, a man and Deborah Mason were sentenced to a combined 106 years and six months' in prison on Friday.
Mason, 65, was found guilty of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs at Woolwich Crown Court on April 28 and was sentenced at the same court to 20 years' in prison.
Roseanne Mason, 29, of Canonbury, north London, and Demi Bright, 30, of Ashford, Kent, were each sentenced to 11 years. Lillie Bright, 26, of Ashford, Kent, was sentenced to 13 years, and Demi Kendall, 31, of Staplehurst, Kent, was sentenced to 13 years and six months imprisonment. Reggie Bright, 24, of Staplehurst, Kent, was sentenced to 15 years, and Tina Golding, 66, of Ashford, Kent, was jailed for 10 years. Anita Slaughter, 44, of Ashford, Kent, was sentenced to 13 years imprisonment.
After sentencing, Crown Prosecution Service specialist prosecutor Robert Hutchinson said: "This was no ordinary family. Instead of nurturing and caring for her relatives, Deborah Mason recruited them to establish an extraordinarily profitable criminal enterprise that would ultimately put them all behind bars." Met Detective Constable Jack Kraushaar, who led the investigation, described it as "a sophisticated operation". He added: "The group were sucked into criminality, selfishly attracted by the financial benefits of the drug-dealing to fund lavish lifestyles. "They were unaware we were coming for them and this sentencing should act as a deterrent to those who think about committing this type of crime."
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Elite police unit to monitor online critics of migrants
Elite police unit to monitor online critics of migrants

Telegraph

time4 minutes ago

  • Telegraph

Elite police unit to monitor online critics of migrants

An elite team of police officers is to monitor social media for anti-migrant sentiment amid fears of summer riots. Detectives will be drawn from forces across the country to take part in a new investigations unit that will flag up early signs of potential civil unrest. The division, assembled by the Home Office, will aim to 'maximise social media intelligence' gathering after police forces were criticised over their response to last year's riots. It comes amid growing concern that Britain is facing another summer of disorder, as protests outside asylum hotels spread. On Saturday, crowds gathered in towns and cities including Norwich, Leeds and Bournemouth to demand action, with more protests planned for Sunday. Angela Rayner warned the Cabinet last week that the Government must act to address the 'the real concerns that people have' about immigration. But critics on Saturday night branded the social media plans 'disturbing' and raised concerns over whether they would lead to a restriction of free speech. Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said: 'Two-tier Keir can't police the streets, so he's trying to police opinions instead. They're setting up a central team to monitor what you post, what you share, what you think, because deep down they know the public don't buy what they're selling. 'Labour have stopped pretending to fix Britain and started trying to mute it. This is a Prime Minister who's happy to turn Britain into a surveillance state, but won't deport foreign criminals, won't patrol high streets, won't fund frontline policing. 'Labour are scared of the public, Labour don't trust the public, Labour don't even know the public.' Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, said: 'This is the beginning of the state controlling free speech. It is sinister, dangerous and must be fought. Reform UK will do just that.' In a further sign of dissent over the Government's approach to social media, campaigners claimed on Saturday that posts about anti-migrant protests in the past week had been censored because of new online safety laws.

I've been spiked multiple times – here's how you can beat sickos, says Ashley James as druggings rise with KIDS targeted
I've been spiked multiple times – here's how you can beat sickos, says Ashley James as druggings rise with KIDS targeted

The Sun

time34 minutes ago

  • The Sun

I've been spiked multiple times – here's how you can beat sickos, says Ashley James as druggings rise with KIDS targeted

NEARLY seven million unsuspecting Brits have had drugs slipped into their drink as 'spiking' hits epidemic levels. Children as young as 11 have even been targeted and holidaymakers heading to Europe are being warned to stay alert to the dangers. 5 5 5 This Morning presenter Ashley James fears she has had mystery narcotics sneaked into her drinks 'multiple times' when out socialising. Today, as a Sun on Sunday probe reveals spiking is reaching new heights, the 38-year-old star said: 'I have suspected that I've been spiked multiple times during my university days and also when I've been out in London at various times. 'Having spent a lot of time in nightlife spaces — especially working as a DJ — I've sadly seen just how common spiking still is. "Several of my close friends have had their drinks spiked, both in the UK and abroad, and there's lots of cases where boys are spiked for pranks. Terrifying trend 'It seems like everyone, including myself, has either been spiked or knows someone who has. "I want to raise awareness, especially as we're going into festival season and ­summer and people are out in beer gardens and so on.' Victims have been spiked before being sexually assaulted or robbed, and recent cases have shown that some people are also drugging ­others for a 'joke'. Latest figures from the National Police Chiefs' Council show there were 6,732 recorded spiking cases in the 12 months to April 2023, including 957 reports of needle spiking, which involves ­victims being injected with drugs. Freedom of Information requests also show constabularies across the country are dealing with more cases than ever. Children as young as 11 are even being targeted with drugs including ketamine, Rohypnol, MDMA and gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB). Greater Manchester Police recorded 463 spiking incidents last year, ­compared to 128 in 2019. Some 78 victims were aged 16 to 18, and 14 were between 11 and 15 years old. Meanwhile, West Midlands Police logged 183 suspected incidents against women last year, compared to 25 in 2020. There were 105 reported involving male victims. And in West Yorks, cops had reports of 444 drink spiking ­incidents last year, compared to 143 in 2019. Ashley is raising awareness alongside campaign group CounterSpike. They have created a SpikeStixx kit, which allows people to test their drinks for a range of drugs. The TV host says she would never now 'accept drinks from strangers' or leave her glass unattended. Some 6.6million people — around one in ten of the population — are believed to have been spiked at some point, according to CounterSpike research. 5 Yet 90 per cent of cases go unreported, according to Drinkaware and Anglia Ruskin University. Drink spiking is the most common method, but drugs have also been added to vapes and food. And a ­terrifying new trend called needle ­spiking has emerged in recent years. More than 140 people reported being jabbed at France's Fete de La Musique festival last month. Police, who made a number of arrests, did not say at the time if it was needle-spiking. Some 80 per cent of spikings take place in public spaces, ­including bars, clubs and festivals. Mum-of-one Cara Sayer was at a singles night at a bar in Esher, Surrey, in 2021 when she was spiked. The 53-year-old, who runs her own company, SnoozeShade, said: 'I went with a girlfriend. I had to be up early the next day so didn't drink excessively. 'My last coherent memory was my friend leaving at 9.45pm. After that, I vaguely remember wobbling around the dance floor. Spiking is a big concern and it's driven by accessibility to cheap drugs, which is why we are seeing cases involving children. Tory MP Joe Robertson 'Not dancing, but stumbling and trying to stay on my feet. I was found unconscious in the toilet ­surrounded by my own sick. 'An ambulance was called and they were the first to mention ­spiking. They said my eyes looked dilated and a bit funny. But when I called the police, they made me feel like it was my fault. 'It took away any element of control and that was terrifying.' Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced in November that ­tampering with someone's drink is set to become a specific crime. It is currently prosecuted under seven different laws. To bring ­charges, cops must have evidence of the substance, a suspect, and CCTV footage of them spiking the victim or a credible eyewitness. Police dealt with in 2023, only six per cent ended in an arrest. But there have been some ­successful prosecutions. In May, Paige Myer, from Northumberland, received a six-month jail sentence, suspended for 18 months, after she was convicted at Newcastle crown court of 'administering a poison'. She was in a pub when she spiked a woman with amyl nitrite, known as poppers, for a 'joke'. 'Took away control' And in January, Vikas Nath, 61 — a director of the Michelin-starred Mayfair restaurant Benares — was charged with administering a ­substance with intent of overpowering a woman for sexual activity. He denies the claim and is due to stand trial next year. Tory MP Joe Robertson said: 'Spiking is a big concern and it's driven by accessibility to cheap drugs, which is why we are seeing cases involving children. 'I'm worried it's on the rise and it's really hard to prosecute.' The Foreign Office warned Brits to be vigilant abroad after spikings in hotspots including Benidorm, Magaluf and Malta. Colin Mackie, who founded charity Spike Aware after his son Greg, 18, died from a suspected spiking in 2017, said: 'Recently, we were contacted by an 82-year-old man who was spiked and robbed on holiday in Spain. He was walking down the strip when two girls said, 'Come to our pub for our complimentary drink and to watch the football'. 'One brought him a beer. The next thing he knows he's on the floor. "He was taken to hospital and it turned out he'd been spiked and, three days later, he noticed one of his credit cards had gone missing. 'When he went to check, £2,500 had been taken out of his account.' Colin also revealed he had been contacted by the parents of an 11-year-old from Liverpool whose life changed after he was spiked. He said: 'His so-called friends put ketamine in his Lucozade, for fun, to make him look silly. 'He was sick and it affected him ­mentally. He became aggressive and resentful and he didn't want to go to school any more.'

Man dies after car crashes into tree in Ketton
Man dies after car crashes into tree in Ketton

BBC News

time34 minutes ago

  • BBC News

Man dies after car crashes into tree in Ketton

A man in his 30s has died after the car he was travelling in left the road and crashed into a tree in Police was called at 19:20 BST on Friday after a single-vehicle crash involving a black Vauxhall Astra in Ketton Road, between Ketton and North officers arrived the man had been pulled from the car and the vehicle was alight, police was pronounced dead at the scene, the force added. Det Sgt Jack Cornick said: "We have an account from one witness, but we know this black Astra was driving behind another car."I'd like to speak to the driver of that car to see whether they have any helpful information about the collision."I'd also like to speak to anyone who saw the Astra as it was leaving Ketton and who may have dashcam footage of the car."Any small piece of information may be helpful."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store