A Liverpool drug gang who ran a promotional offer for cocaine to mark the release of former Liverpool star Luis Diaz's father from a kidnapping have been busted and jailed for a combined total of 63 years.
In November 2023, Luis Manuel Diaz – the father of the player who now plays for Bayern Munich – was released after 13 days in captivity by a Colombian guerrilla group. To “celebrate” this and boost sales, the gang sent a message to more than 9,000 customers via a special phone used for drug trafficking, which read: “3 for £75 for the next hour to celebrate the release of Luis Diaz’s father from the Colombian jungle.”
This message is said to have led to their downfall. On Monday, leader Paul Lockyer (42) and seven associates from Merseyside were sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court after a lengthy investigation by the Merseyside Organised Crime Partnership, which also involved the National Crime Agency and local police.
Lockyer, known as "the big fella", was the main figure, while James Neary (57) was his right-hand man. The gang worked in shifts to fulfill hundreds of orders at all hours of the day, storing the drugs at several addresses in Liverpool and using a dedicated phone to take orders.
Investigators had long monitored the activity, tracking phone calls between members and drug-taking meetings. The phone contained over 9,000 contacts and promotional messages for customers, including offers, discounts and “home delivery.”
A drug expert told the court he had “never encountered such a well-organised drug ring”. The gang is believed to have supplied at least 9.9kg of cocaine between October 2023 and May 2025, earning around £620,000.
Other members included Paul McArdle (33), who coordinated deliveries; Christopher Horrocks (46) and Stephen Lynch (38), who managed the deals and supply; Michelle Higgins (39), who stored large quantities at home; and Lee Nugent (46) and his partner Julie McCafferty (43), who prepared and distributed the drugs.
The eight were arrested in May last year after searches at several addresses, where 874 grams of cocaine worth around £89,000 were seized, as well as a 1kg block of cocaine and large quantities of mixing substances.
All pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs and were sentenced to a total of 63 years and 8 months in prison. Lockyer received 11 years and 4 months, Neary 9 years and 9 months, McArdle 10 years and 1 month, Lynch and Nugent each received 8 years, McCafferty and Horrocks each received 6 years, and Higgins received 4 years.
NCA officer Jon Hughes said the network operated as a "fast-food service for drugs", adding that shutting down this criminal business is very important for the Liverpool community./Express newspaper/
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