Woman jailed for being part of Zee drugs gang in Southampton

Lorraine Smith was part of the Zee drugs network which operated mainly in the Newtown area of the city.

The 38-year-old, from Roberts Road, was jailed for two years and six months.

She had been due to be sentenced last year with the rest of her co-defendants, but it was deferred and she twice failed to attend court.

The judge called this "extremely disheartening".

Crack cocaine seized from the gang, consisting of: Paul Moschakis, Daniel Baker, Thomas Jennings Joyce and Daniel Mahmood (Image: Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary)

Detective Sergeant Claire Smith, who led the investigation, said: “Now that Smith has been sentenced, all five members of this organised crime group are behind bars where they will face the consequences for the harm they have caused in their own communities."

The Zee line was dismantled by Hampshire Constabulary's Serious and Organised Crime Unit, when officers found more than 2,000 individual wraps and larger packages of Class A drugs with a street value in excess of £150,000.

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But detectives believe that the quantities supplied by the gang during their period of operation, between March 2022 and January 2023, will have been much higher.

Police also seized £4,110 in cash.

Four men, also from Southampton, were sentenced at Southampton Crown Court in December 2023 to a combined total of almost 20 years in prison in connection with the Zee drugs line.

Daniel Mahmood was found to be the kingpin of the line, with Thomas Jennings Joyce his henchman.

Lorraine Smith (Image: Hampshire Constabulary)

Mahmood was arrested in October 2022 and an address on Argyle Road was searched - revealing several mobile phones, cannabis, various drugs paraphernalia and £2500 in cash hidden in a box in the garden.

Their right-hand man, Daniel Baker, was arrested, in December 2022, with Paul Moschakis also arrested for his involved.

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All five defendants pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply crack cocaine, heroin and cannabis.

Det Sgt Smith continued: “Drug supply relies on the exploitation and abuse of vulnerable adults and children, and is often connected to other offences including violence on our streets.

“I hope that the combined sentence of more than 20 years for those who participated in this drugs line shows that we take drugs supply in Southampton extremely seriously and will relentlessly pursue those involved.

“Officers involved in this case worked tirelessly to dismantle this drugs conspiracy and I am pleased that those involved have now been brought to justice for their crimes."