Seventeen members of the Siner Organised Crime Group have been sentenced to a combined total of 91 years in prison for supplying crack cocaine and heroin across Liverpool, Gosport and Plymouth. The network, overseen by brothers Anthony and Brian Siner, marketed drugs under the brand name ‘Scouse Dave’ and has now been dismantled following a major investigation by Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary’s Serious & Organised Crime Unit, supported by Merseyside Police and Devon & Cornwall Police.
The final sentencing concluded on Friday, 12 December 2025, when Danny Venning, aged 39, from Plymouth, received 6 years and 9 months imprisonment at Portsmouth Crown Court. The Siner Organised Crime Group operated as a sophisticated County Lines network, with Anthony overseeing the Gosport operation and Brian controlling the Plymouth line from his prison cell.
Key Sentences:
Anthony Siner, aged 38, from Liverpool, received 17 years and 7 months for four counts of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs. His brother Brian Siner, aged 42, was jailed for 15 years and 9 months for two counts of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
Operational managers Adam Hughes, aged 39, and Gary Cranney, aged 41, received 8 and a half years and 7 years respectively. Courier Gareth Roberts, aged 44, was sentenced to 6 years and 9 months after police discovered approximately 3kg of heroin and crack cocaine in his vehicle near Plymouth in November 2022.
Other significant sentences included Lee Richardson (9 years), Paul Naughton (6 years), Max Pike (5 years and 7 months), and Brett Coe-Quainton (5 years). Several members received suspended sentences with community orders, including Lee Illingworth (2 years suspended), Kevin Wealthal (2 years suspended), Donna Yuen (22 months suspended), Sean Harland (18 months suspended), and Christopher Crewe (community order with drug rehabilitation).
Confiscation and Restrictions:
The Siner Organised Crime Group members have been ordered to pay back approximately £4 million in confiscation orders. Anthony Siner must repay £1.1 million, Brian £535,000, Adam Hughes £1 million, and Gary Cranney £1.3 million. Both Siner brothers have paid only £1 each, though any future assets will be seized until the debt is settled.
Anthony and Brian Siner have been subjected to Serious Crime Prevention Orders imposing strict restrictions. Both are banned from owning more than two mobile phones, one SIM card, one computer and one landline phone. They are prohibited from carrying more than £500 in cash and banned from entering Fareham, Gosport and Plymouth. Anthony faces additional restrictions requiring him to notify police of any vehicle he owns or travels in as a passenger.
Investigation Details:
Between 1 January 2022 and 28 March 2023, the Siner Organised Crime Group sold at least 25kg of crack cocaine and heroin in Gosport and approximately 9.6kg in Plymouth. Police seized 4kg of drugs, over £30,000 in cash, and various weapons during the investigation. Officers identified a ‘Scouse Presence’ in Gosport, with Siner Organised Crime Group members ensuring drug distribution continued whilst collecting proceeds for transport back to Liverpool.
The investigation revealed the operation functioned as a structured business, with individuals receiving wages before returning home. Couriers transported drugs in bulk or conducted cash collection trips, collecting drug sale proceeds from gang members.
Following arrests and a pause in activity, police sent mass text messages to drug users who had contacted the line, informing them the operation had been intercepted and signposting support services. In July 2023, Merseyside Police supported Hampshire Constabulary during further warrants, leading to the re-arrest and charging of both Siner brothers.
Official Statement:
Chief Inspector Marcus Kennedy, District Commander for Fareham and Gosport, stated: “County Lines gangs like the Siner organised crime group inflict misery on communities, peddling drugs, preying on the vulnerable, and engaging in serious violence and anti-social behaviour. The police investigation into this criminal network ensured the problem was eradicated from the roots up, taking out key players and ultimately the two heads of the Siner Organised Crime Group – the Siner brothers.”
He added: “In addition to convicting and jailing gang members, a number have been ordered to pay back millions in ill-gotten gains. These will hang over their heads indefinitely, and any assets they accrue in future will be seized to settle this debt. We have also successfully secured Serious Crime Prevention Orders to enforce further prohibitions when they are released.”
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Detective Sergeant Peter Sloan from Merseyside Police said: “Danny Venning’s sentencing marks the final chapter in what has been a complex investigation, bringing the total number of offenders convicted to seventeen and resulting in more than 91 years of imprisonment. This operation has dismantled an organised crime group that caused significant harm across parts of the UK, including Liverpool, Gosport and Plymouth.”
