Latest news with #Bugsy
Yahoo
20-07-2025
- Yahoo
‘Gangster granny' who oversaw £80m drugs operation foiled by police
A "gangster granny" crime gang boss has been sentenced for dealing drugs with a street value of £80 million across the UK. Deborah Mason, 65, of Crayford Road, Tufnell Park, dubbed 'Queen Bee', and seven other members of the gang, were sentenced to a total of 106 and a half years at Woolwich Crown Court on Friday (18 July) for their involvement in supplying nearly a tonne of cocaine over seven months. The group used the encrypted messaging site Signal to communicate. Officers found messages showing Mason was living an extravagant lifestyle with her profits, buying a £400 Gucci collar and lead for her cat. 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 was found guilty of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and sentenced to 20 years in prison. She took part in 20 trips, delivering 356kg of cocaine, and also made trips to deliver and collect cash.
NDTV
19-07-2025
- NDTV
UK's 'Gangster Granny' Jailed For Rs 900 Crore Cocaine Empire Run With Family
A 65-year-old grandmother, nicknamed the 'Queen Bee,' has been jailed for leading a sprawling family drug empire that trafficked nearly 80 million pounds (Rs 924 Crore) worth of cocaine across the UK, according to The Metro. Deborah Mason masterminded the highly profitable operation, recruiting relatives into the network, which moved almost a tonne of cocaine between April and November 2023. Couriers were paid 1,000 pounds a day to ferry drugs from London to cities including Bradford, Leicester, Birmingham, Bristol, and Cardiff, as per the news article. Mason flaunted her wealth, taking photos of bundles of cash and boasting about making 90,000 pounds from the scheme, all while fraudulently claiming 50,000 pounds in benefits. In total, Mason and seven members of her gang were handed sentences amounting to 106.5 years behind bars. Authorities described the operation as "extraordinarily profitable" and a major supplier of cocaine across England and Wales. According to The Guardian, the ringleader spent her profits on designer goods and was looking to travel to Turkey to have cosmetic surgery, while young mothers who were part of the gang took their young children to pick-ups. Mason, who directed other members of the gang and was in contact with an upstream supplier called Bugsy, was found guilty of conspiracy to supply class A drugs and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Judge Shorrock told Mason: "You were effectively the site foreman working under the direction of a site manager." "You recruited members of your own family - as a mother you should have been setting an example for your children and not corrupting them." The judge noted that several of the women have young children but said their involvement in the drug network only "makes it easier for unscrupulous" dealers to seek to recruit mothers.
The Independent
19-07-2025
- The Independent
‘Gangster granny' who oversaw £80m drugs operation foiled by police
A "gangster granny" crime gang boss has been sentenced for dealing drugs with a street value of £80 million across the UK. Deborah Mason, 65, of Crayford Road, Tufnell Park, dubbed 'Queen Bee', and seven other members of the gang, were sentenced to a total of 106 and a half years at Woolwich Crown Court on Friday (18 July) for their involvement in supplying the drugs. The group used the encrypted messaging site Signal to communicate. Officers found messages showing Mason was living an extravagant lifestyle with her profits, buying a £400 Gucci collar and lead for her cat. 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 was found guilty of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and sentenced to 20 years in prison. She took part in 20 trips, delivering 356kg of cocaine, and also made trips to deliver and collect cash.
The Guardian
19-07-2025
- The Guardian
‘Gangster granny' jailed for leading family gang dealing drugs worth £80m
A family-run organised crime group, orchestrated by a 65-year-old described by police as a 'gangster granny', has been sentenced for dealing drugs with a street value of £80m across the UK. Deborah Mason, who had the moniker 'Queen Bee', and seven other members of the gang, were sentenced at Woolwich crown court in London on Friday for their involvement in supplying nearly a tonne of cocaine over seven months. A group of couriers collected packages of imported cocaine and drove them across London as well as Bradford, Leicester, Birmingham, Bristol and Cardiff, between April and November 2023, the court heard. The drugs had an estimated wholesale value of between £23m and £35m and a street value of £80m. The ringleader spent her profits on designer goods and was looking to travel to Turkey to have cosmetic surgery, while young mothers who were part of the gang took their young children to pick-ups. Mason, who directed other members of the gang and was in contact with an upstream supplier called Bugsy, was found guilty of conspiracy to supply class A drugs and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Judge Shorrock told Mason: 'You were effectively the site foreman working under the direction of a site manager. 'You recruited members of your own family – as a mother you should have been setting an example for your children and not corrupting them.' The judge noted that several of the women have young children but said their involvement in the drug network only 'makes it easier for unscrupulous' dealers to seek to recruit mothers. Earlier, prosecutor Charlotte Hole said: 'Everyone involved had an expectation of significant financial advantage, at least £1,000 per trip, and it is one of the most significant parts of the motivation of the conspiracy. 'They all had an awareness of the scale of the operation.' Hole added: 'She [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.' Mason did not use pressure or coercion to woo her family into the gang as they were 'motivated by financial benefit'. The court also heard she was in receipt of in excess of £50,000 a year in benefit income during the conspiracy period, while acting as ringleader and spending lavishly on luxuries. When Mason was on holiday in Dubai, her daughter Roseanne Mason, who made seven trips delivering about 166kg of cocaine, stepped into the directing role, the court heard. The prosecution said Roseanne Mason collected cash for her mother and also 'provided childcare so that others could work'. George Payne, defending Deborah Mason, claimed his client was not the top director of the gang's actions. In his mitigation argument, he said: 'It is precisely because she does not look like someone who is involved in drug dealing that she was chosen to be part of the plot.' He added: 'I submit that all of these individuals are expendable, without experience and without a lot of knowledge.' Demi Bright made a single trip in August 2023 that involved 60kg of cocaine. She took her two children with her on the two-day trip, which involved an overnight stay in a hotel. Lillie Bright was involved in 20 trips involving 195kg of cocaine. Her partner Chloe Hodgkin, 23, of Abbots Walk, Wye, Kent, is awaiting the birth of her baby and is to be sentenced at a date to be set. 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. Tina Golding made four trips and delivered at least 75kg of cocaine, collecting at least £10,000 in wages. Anita Slaughter took part in a single trip, which amounted to 55kg across four drops, in October 2023. Roseanne Mason, 29, of Canonbury, north London, and Demi Bright, 30, of Ashford, Kent, were each sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment. 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. Slaughter, 44, of Ashford, Kent, was sentenced to 13 years' imprisonment. Acting on intelligence, Metropolitan police officers used investigative techniques including extensive call data and conventional surveillance to track Deborah Mason and her couriers' movements. Most of the gang were arrested in May 2024. DC Jack Kraushaar, who led the investigation, said: 'This was a sophisticated operation which was extremely profitable for those involved. 'Following months of work by the Met police to relentlessly pursue these perpetrators, we were able to arrest and eventually convict them, preventing more drugs flooding streets across the UK which leads to violence, antisocial behaviour and misery for communities.'
Daily Mirror
19-07-2025
- Daily Mirror
Moment 'Gangster granny' who used family to run UK-wide £80m drug empire is caught
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."
