"Untouchable" Crewe gang behind bars (From Crewe Guardian)
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"Untouchable" Crewe gang behind bars
11:00am Thursday 26th January 2012 in News By Katie Durose
Bobby Palin, gang leader
AN “untouchable” Crewe gang who were turning drug cash into gold are now paying the price behind bars.
The gang, led by Bobby Palin, previously of Smith Grove in Crewe, was sentenced to a combined 11 years and eight months in jail for supplying the town with class A and B drugs.
Following a lengthy investigation, officers discovered the gang had been travelling to the heart of Birmingham’s jewellery quarter to buy gold bars with cash earned from drug dealing.
Between £7,000 and £14,000 was laundered each time the men visited the jewellers.
On April 4, 2011, three gang members, including Palin, were intercepted on the M6. They had been travelling to Birmingham to exchange two gold bars, valued at £13,900.
The men were arrested, the cash was seized. They were later charged with money laundering offences.
The following day officers observed another gang member, Carl Arrowsmith, 29, travelling back down to Birmingham with four gold bars, valued at £27,650.
He was caught in the back yard of the shop, arrested and the cash was seized. He was later charged with money laundering.
At the start of the police investigation the gang converted cash into fine gold ingots; towards the end they were selling the gold back to the jewellers for cash.
On July 13, 2011, officers conducted a coordinated dawn raid on five separate addresses in Crewe. They arrested Bobby Palin, 24, Shane Arrowsmith, 30, Nigel Dun, 33 Andrew Arrowsmith, 31, Carl Arrowsmith, 29, and Kenneth Washington, 42.
They were subsequently charged with offences including money laundering and class A drug offences.
In all, a total of £62,365 was converted into 2.25k of fine gold. Police have so far seized a total £42,062.67.
On September 30 at Chester Crown Court, Shane Arrowsmith, of Richard Moon Street, Crewe, pleaded guilty to money laundering, Nigel Dunn of Samuel Street, Crewe pleaded guilty to supplying class A drugs, and Andrew Arrowsmith, of Beckford Close, Crewe pleaded guilty to possession of class A drugs and money laundering.
On December 9 at Liverpool Crown Court, Bobby Palin pleaded guilty to money laundering, Carl Arrowsmith, of Badger Avenue, and Kenneth Washington, of Enderleigh Street, Newcastle-under-Lyme, pleaded guilty to acquiring criminal property namely cash in relation to the proceeds of crime act.
On January 19, Bobby Palin was sentenced to three years and four months, Shane Arrowsmith was sentenced to three years and four months, Nigel Dunn was sentenced to three years and four months, and Andrew Arrowsmith was sentenced to one year and eight months.
Carl Arrowsmith was sentenced to 140 hours community service and Kenneth Washington was sentenced to 120 hours community service order.
DC Gareth Wynne said: "The officers involved in the case spent 18 months gathering enough evidence to convict the gang. The gang, headed by Palin were seen to be out of the reach of the police by certain areas of the community.
“Our hard work has finally paid off and Crewe residents will see a gang of men who have been a blight on the community behind bars. This investigation has struck at the heart of this group by removing the hierarchy who organise the drug supply and reap the benefits from the profits generated.
"This shows that we will do everything we can to make Cheshire a safer place and sends out a clear message to those who think they are above the law that we will bring you to justice."
