A gang who operated one of the largest cocaine dealing networks in the City of London has been jailed after selling drugs to 10,000 users over nearly two years. The criminal enterprise, which used the name "Top Gear" or "City Gear", generated sales worth more than £14,000 per week.
The group was sentenced at Inner London Crown Court on Thursday for running the sophisticated operation between March 2022 and October 2023. City of London Police built their case by meticulously analysing phone records and financial ledgers that revealed the scale of the criminal enterprise.
Gang leader receives nine-year sentence
Nathan Samuels, 57, of Cornwall Road, Waterloo, led the operation and received a nine-year prison sentence for cocaine supply. The gang's business model involved selling 410 wraps of cocaine weekly through their network of couriers across the Square Mile.
The drugs line was established during Covid lockdowns and used the Top Gear logo on WhatsApp to attract customers. Police said it became one of the longest-running and biggest cocaine operations in the City of London before being dismantled following arrests.
Couriers sentenced for drug supply
Three couriers who worked for the gang also received substantial prison sentences. Black cab driver Michael Redgrave, 56, also of Cornwall Road, was jailed for two years and nine months.
Aaron Bretao, 43, of Skinner Street, Clerkenwell, received three years in prison. Martin Gupta, 38, of Fairgreen Court, Barnet, was sentenced to four years and three months behind bars.
Additional gang members face justice
Matthew Samuels, 33, of Rotherhithe New Road, Bermondsey, admitted cannabis offences and was found guilty of cocaine supply involvement. He received three-and-a-half years in prison for his role in the operation.
Josh Atherton, 24, of Hemingford Road, Islington, was given suspended sentences totalling two years and four months. His punishment included two years for cocaine supply and four months for possessing a weapon capable of discharging noxious liquid.
Detective Constable Matt Cooper said the operation was "serious and sophisticated" and resulted in large quantities of cocaine being sold over an extended period. He emphasised that City of London Police would continue working tirelessly to disrupt organised crime groups and put drug dealers behind bars.
(PA/London) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
