Cumbria Police has cracked a West Cumbrian family-run drug ring leading to several years of jail time for the offenders.

Brothers Kieran, Dean and Jackson Moore were sentenced alongside sister Amber Moore after being snared in an operation run by Cumbria Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit.

The brothers appeared before Carlisle Crown Court yesterday, July 10, after admitting to conspiring to supply cocaine, while Amber Moore admitted possessing ecstasy and acquiring or using criminal property.

They become the latest organised crime group to be broken up following work by serious crime detectives in the county.

This work is all carried out under the banner of Operation Alliance, which is the county’s response to protect the public against serious and organised crime.

The sentences today meant:

• Dean Moore, 30, of Thwaite Bank, Northside, Workington was jailed for five years.
• Kieran Moore, 25, of Far Moss, Northside, Workington was jailed for six years.
• Jackson Moore, 23, of Thwaite Bank, Northside, Workington received a two-year suspended sentence.
• Amber Moore, 29, of Hillcrest, Northside, Workington was given an 18-month suspended sentence.

Investigations were launched after the discovery by officers of a stash of cocaine on the outskirts of Northside, Workington, in May last year.

Over a period of days Kieran Moore was seen visiting this location. He removed knotted bags. Jackson Moore was also seen to visit.

Inquiries continued and a search warrant was executed at a house in Mitchell Avenue, Northside. Kieran Moore and Dean Moore were in the kitchen.

On top of the cooker hob was a large block of cocaine. Further cocaine was in the kitchen – and cocaine was also found in a pair of wellies outside.

In July last year, police executed a search warrant at a house in Hillcrest, Northside – the home of Amber Moore.

In a cupboard was a bag for life containing £16,000 in cash. Also found were tablets confirmed to be MDMA (ecstasy).

Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Inspector Duncan Brooker said: “The hard work of our detectives pulled together an investigation that has once again put an organised crime group before a court and dismantled their operation.

“Our officers work an all-year-round to protect Cumbria against serious and organised crime such as this – and this is just the latest group to face prosecution in Cumbria.

“This work is carried out under the banner of Operation Alliance – and it will continue. As always, the most important people in this is the public.

“To keep up the fight against this type of organised crime we need the public to let us know when they see anything suspicious in their communities.”

Do you have information that can help?

Anyone with information can report online at www.cumbria.police.uk/report-it. You can also phone on 101. Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.