Six jailed for almost 40 years for flooding North Devon streets with drugs

Police have lifted the lid on the story of an organised crime group that flooded North Devon’s streets with millions of pounds in cocaine have been sentenced to a total of almost 40 years in prison.

Three of the six lived locally – Paige Kightley from Bideford, Neil Warren from Ilfracombe and Karl Aldridge from Barnstaple.

They appeared at Exeter Crown Court alongside Christopher Harper from Yorkshire, Stephen Reid from Liverpool and Ezra Walker from Manchester – all entered guilty pleas and have been sentenced during the course of the past 14 months.

The final sentencing on Friday, March 13 wrapped things up and saw Paige Kightley, aged 31 from Lacey Avenue, Bideford, who was ‘North Devon regional manager’ for the drugs ring, receive five years and seven months for being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.

At the same hearing, Harper, aged 46 and Reid, aged 52 – the main organisers – received 10 years five months and seven years five months respectively.

Karl Aldridge, 38, from Corporation Terrace in Barnstaple and the ‘North Devon street supplier’ was sentenced to five years and four months in January 2025 for being concerned in the supply of Class A and B drugs. Walker received the same sentence at that hearing.

Neil Warren, aged 49 of High Street, Ilfracombe and the North Devon courier, was sentenced in March 2025 to for years for being concerned in the supply of Class A and B drugs.

The investigation

Operation Haku swung into action during the second half of 2024. Police said between July and December that year, members of organised crime groups based in North Devon and Merseyside conspired together to traffic large quantities of cocaine, to be distributed and sold on the streets of Barnstaple and surrounding areas.

Drugs were collected from Liverpool on 17 occasions by Harper and 15 by Warren.

There were multiple contacts between group members, with Warren in direct contact with Harper and Reid, with the former giving him locations in the Merseyside area.

Harper was also in heavy contact with Kightley on the dates of the trips Warren made to Liverpool.

Kightley was in contact with Warren and local drug suppliers such as Aldridge, who would receive the drugs to distribute and sell in North Devon.

The trips often coincided with bulk messages sent from phones used by Aldridge advertising cocaine for sale in the Barnstaple area.

Financial investigation showed money transferred from Aldridge to Kightley and onto Harper, to pay for further supplies. Aldridge also received cocaine from Manchester-based Walker.

Above: Drugs and dealers' lists seized by police. Credit: Devon & Cornwall Police

The arrests

Walker travelled from Manchester to Devon and was stopped by police officers on the A361 heading towards Barnstaple.

Inside the vehicle officers found a package containing white powder. Walker also failed a drugs test and was arrested and taken into custody.

Following the arrest of Walker, officers attended Aldridge’s home and executed a search warrant before arresting him for drug offences.

Searches were carried out and within Walker’s vehicle officers found 122g of cocaine with a street value of around £10,000.

In Aldridge’s home, a quantity of cocaine was located along with re-sealable bags and tubs, scales with cocaine traces, dealers’ lists and £2,000 in cash.

Both were charged, remanded and entered guilty pleas at court.

After driving to Liverpool and then Penrith to meet Harper, on December 11, Harper was confirmed as a guest at the Penrith Premier Inn. CCTV showed him exiting the hotel and entering a vehicle in the car park.

Warren then could be seen carrying a bag and getting into Harper’s van. Harper and Warren then entered the hotel together with Harper carrying the bag.

An identical bag was seized from Warren the next day and found to contain three kilos of Class A drugs.

Watch below: Harper, Warren and a bag found to contain three kilos of cocaine intended for the streets of North Devon.

He was stopped by officers exiting the M5 in Devon and upon arrest, Warren indicated there was an item in the back of the car that did not belong to him.

Within the car was cash and various parcels of cocaine with an estimated street value of nearly £250,000.

While Warren was in custody, Harper made multiple calls to Warren’s phone and other parties in the Barnstaple area trying to locate his courier.

Watch below: The arrest of Neil Warren from Ilfracombe in December 2024 as he exited the M5 motorway in Devon.

Arrest of the organisers

On April 16, 2025 detectives from the Devon & Cornwall Police Serious and Organised Crime Investigation Team raided addresses in the Peterborough, Liverpool and Barnstaple areas.

Harper was located and arrested in Peterborough and found in possession of the phone used to arrange the supply of cocaine from Liverpool to Devon.

Reid was located and arrested in Liverpool and found to be in the possession of three phones used to arrange the supply of cocaine from Liverpool to Devon.

Kightley was arrested at her home in Northam and found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia. She claimed not to deal drugs but to merely pass them from one person to another.

Speaking after the final sentencing on Friday, senior investigating officer, Detective Inspector Daniel Bickford of the Serious and Organised Crime Investigation Team, said: “This group exploited vulnerable people and brought fear and misery to our communities.

“Today’s sentences send a clear message that we will not tolerate organised crime in our communities and will commit resources to relentlessly pursue those responsible.

“This result was only possible thanks to the determination of our officers and the invaluable support of our partners and local residents. By working together, we have made North Devon a safer place for everyone and a more hostile place for criminal gangs to operate in.

“The investigation uncovered significant quantities of class A drugs, as well as criminal proceeds of crime, all of which have now been removed from circulation.

“The police and partners remain committed to tackling drug supply and associated crime and urge anyone with information about drug activity to contact them in confidence.”

North Devon LPA Chief Inspector Graham Thomas added: “I welcome today’s sentencing of three key people who were involved in the trafficking of drugs between Merseyside and North Devon.

“The use of cocaine is illegal and comes at a significant cost to users, suppliers and the community at large. People don’t always see the misery and crime associated with the supply of drugs, but our communities feel it, which is why I and my colleagues are determined to do all we can to stop and disrupt these dangerous networks.

“I hope the sentences act as a deterrent to anyone involved in the supply of drugs and invite anyone with information about other dealers or networks to contact the police directly or through Crimestoppers.”

To report a crime or if you have information about crime, use the online reporting tool on the Devon & Cornwall Police website, or call 101. If a crime is taking place, call 999.

Crime can also be reported totally anonymously. Visit the Crimestoppers website at https://crimestoppers-uk.org or call 0800 555 111.