Three men sentenced to a total of 23 years in prison for drug offences and modern slavery

(L-R) Owen Smith, Dean Hughes and Liam Maloney

Three men from Merseyside have been jailed for drug supply and modern slavery offences today (Tuesday 3 September).

Dean Hughes, 42, of Branstree Avenue, Liverpool was jailed for 10 years; Owen Smith, 45, of Mainside Road, Kirkby was jailed for eight and a half years and Liam Maloney, 32, of Oakdale Avenue, Wirral was jailed for four and a half years respectively for conspiring to supply Class A drugs (crack cocaine and heroin) and arranging or facilitating the travel of another person for exploitation under Section 2 of the Modern Slavery Act.

Officers from Merseyside’s Project Medusa, the initiative to tackle county lines drug dealing and child criminal exploitation across the country, began an investigation Hughes, Smith and Maloney in January 2024.

County lines is the name given to drug dealing where organised criminal groups (OCGs) use phone lines to move and supply drugs, usually from cities into smaller towns and rural areas.

A detailed investigation by detectives established that the three men were running a county line drugs network, known as ‘Scouse Jonno’, from Merseyside into Crewe, Cheshire and were using a vulnerable 16-year-old boy to do the risky and often dangerous work of running drugs to customers.

In February 2024, officers executed warrants for Hughes, Smith and Maloney across Liverpool and Wirral. At their addresses, officers seized cannabis, drug paraphernalia and numerous mobile phones connecting them to the ‘Scouse Jonno’ drugs line.

All three were subsequently charged with conspiring to supply Class A drugs (crack cocaine and heroin) and arranging or facilitating the travel of another person for exploitation under Section 2 of the Modern Slavery Act.

Safeguarding measures were put in place for the young person involved and through partnership working, they continue to receive bespoke support.

Detective Inspector Peter Sloan said: “Through our investigation, we were able to prove that these three men were involved in the supply of Class A drugs and using a vulnerable child to run these drugs for them across Merseyside and Cheshire.

“I hope their significant sentences of 23 years combined acts as a warning to those who exploit children to deal drugs in Merseyside and further afield that they will not go unpunished.

“We would continue to urge members of our communities to come forward with information so we can make our communities safer for the decent, law-abiding people who live in areas affected by county lines and serious organised crime.

“If you have any concerns about drug dealing, or you think someone could be at risk of exploitation, please come forward, either directly or anonymously via Crimestoppers and we will investigate.”

Anyone who has any information about County Lines drug dealing in their area or anyone who is concerned about someone who may be being exploited by these gangs, can contact @CrimestoppersUK completely anonymously on 0800 555 111 or contact 101. In an emergency always contact 999. 

Worried about someone?

There are several signs to look out for that may indicate someone is involved in county lines:

• repeatedly going missing from school or home and being found in other areas
• having money, new clothes or electronic devices and they can't explain how they paid for them
• getting high numbers of texts or phone calls, being secretive about who they're speaking to
• decline in school or work performance
• significant changes in emotional or physical well-being

For more information about county lines, visit our County Lines webpage.