Gun gang given 34 years in jail

Three men, including one from Ampthill, have been sentenced to 34 years in prison after an investigation by a police anti gun crime team.

Drizz James, 28, of Nottingham Close, Ampthill, Damien Long, 37, of Penhill, Luton and Aaron Douglas, 27, of Old Bedford Road, Luton, were sentenced at Luton Crown Court on Thursday after being found guilty of a number of drugs and firearms offences.

James and Long were arrested after officers carried out a warrant at a property in Dunstable in January 2017.

On searching the property, officers recovered items including 100 wraps of cocaine, a large quantity of cannabis, and a loaded gun which had been put in the toilet.

Officers were able to link Douglas to the gun through DNA, and he was later arrested.Officers also recovered further drug related paraphernalia, ammunition and two knives.

James was sentenced to 14 and a half years in prison after being found guilty of possession of a prohibited firearm and a silencer, possession of ammunition, possession of Class A and Class B drugs with intent to supply and possession of criminal property.

Long was sentenced to 12 and a half years after being found guilty of possession of a prohibited firearm and a silencer, possession of ammunition, possession of Class A and Class B drugs with intent to supply. Douglas was sentenced to seven years in prison after being found guilty of possession of a prohibited firearm.

Detective Inspector Jackie Dadd from Bedfordshire police’s Boson team, said: “Boson works hard to disrupt gun and gang activity in Bedfordshire. Crime does not pay and I hope the collective sentence received by all three men sends a strong message to others who are entrenched in this kind of criminality.

“Not only were we able to lock three dangerous men away, but during the warrant that led to their arrests 
we were able to take a gun, drugs and knives out of circulation.”

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