'Untouchable' drug boss is jailed

Webber was told a long prison sentence was "inevitable"

A Plymouth drugs baron who police said saw himself as "untouchable" has been sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Richard Webber, 35, of Fore Street, Plympton, was convicted of conspiracy to supply amphetamines, ecstasy and, cannabis at Exeter Crown Court in July.

Four other men involved in the operation were also given sentences amounting to nearly 19 years in total.

The men were caught in an undercover drugs operations by Devon and Cornwall Police which cost about £1m.

Cosmetics truck

The operation began in October 2001 and involved drugs with an estimated street value of about £1.5m which were destined for many parts of UK.

The prosecution said Webber and Paul Evans conspired with Dutch and Belgian drug traffickers to supply ecstasy, amphetamines and cannabis resin.

Evans, 36, of Union Street, Plymouth, described as Webber's "first Lieutenant" in Holland and Belgium, was jailed for five-and-a-half years following his earlier conviction of the conspiracies.

Webber and Evans had links with Dutch haulage firm, Nopa Transport.

Police stopped a consignment of cosmetics from Holland carried by Nopa Transport at Okehampton, Devon, in May 2002.

They found 343 nine-ounce bars of cannabis resin and 51,514 Ecstasy tablets.

Flat raided

The lorry driver was arrested and later convicted for his part in the operation.

Three months later, on 9 August, police raided a flat in North Road East, Plymouth.

They found amphetamines with a street value of about £770,000, along with money, mobile phones, boxes of glucose and two food mixers.

Three other people were also sentenced on Friday.

Seamus Murphy, 33, of Clarence Place, Plymouth, was jailed for four-and-a-half years. He had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supple amphetamines.

Leon Butt, 31, of Leypark Close, Exeter, was jailed for eight-and-a-half years having earlier pleaded guilty to conspiracies to supple amphetamines, ecstasy and cannabis.

Ryan Butt, of Leypark Close, Exeter, Leon Butt's twin, was given a two-year conditional discharge having pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cannabis. He had already served nine-and-a-half months in custody on remand.

Webber also faces losing his home and cars because police say they are proceeds of his drug trafficking.