A Lancashire family-run drug empire, responsible for distributing vast quantities of heroin and cocaine across the UK, has been dismantled following a major police investigation. The operation, led by Alan Causer, generated over £11 million in profits before police raided the home of his mother, Gillian Melville, and discovered £500,000 in cash – a fraction of the criminal network’s total earnings.
The investigation, spearheaded by the National Crime Agency (NCA) and Merseyside Police, has resulted in over 50 years of combined prison sentences for the gang’s key players.
The Raid: Cash, Drugs, and Hidden Compartments
The breakthrough came on September 15, 2021, when officers raided the home of Ian Shacklady and Gillian Melville on Marchbank Road, Skelmersdale.
Upon entering the property, police found Melville, 66, sitting on a bed, next to neatly stacked piles of cash. £481,375 was recovered from various locations around the house, along with several bags containing large quantities of money and elastic bands used for bundling the notes.
Prosecutor Henry Riding described the scene:
“She was caught red-handed with multiple bags of cash at her feet. This was, if not the tip of the iceberg, only a small portion of the vast sums generated by this organised crime group.”
Items Seized from the Property:
- £481,375 in cash
- 4kg of cannabis (worth £40,000 street value)
- Drug ledgers detailing the distribution of 360kg of cocaine and 25kg of heroin
- A van with a hidden compartment for transporting drugs and money
The Sophisticated Drug Operation
The gang operated a well-coordinated drug distribution network across the UK. Ledgers found at the property revealed detailed accounts of drug sales, indicating that over the previous three months alone, the gang had handled more than £1.4 million in cash.
The group’s white Peugeot Partner van, parked near the property, was equipped with a hidden compartment below the floorboards – accessible via a concealed switch – used to transport drugs and cash. ANPR cameras captured the van traveling to key distribution points across the North of England, including:
- Huyton
- Manchester
- Grimsby
- Derby
- Nottingham
- County Durham
Key Figures in the Drug Empire
The court heard that the gang operated with military-like precision, using coded messages, burner phones, and ledgers to manage their operations.
1. Alan Causer (The Ringleader)
- Age: 45
- Residence: Sherratt Street, Skelmersdale
- Role: Leader and primary coordinator of the drug empire
- Criminal Earnings: £11,182,460
- Sentence: 18 years in prison
Causer was described by Judge Denis Watson KC as the “leading light” of the operation. The drug ledgers found at his mother’s home had his fingerprints, and he was directly linked to the massive cocaine and heroin distribution network.
2. Ian Shacklady (The Trusted Lieutenant)
- Age: 67
- Residence: Marchbank Road, Skelmersdale
- Role: Managed drug deliveries and cash handling
- Criminal Earnings: £1,245,000
- Sentence: 10.5 years in prison
Shacklady was found to have directly communicated with John Germaine about collecting elastic bands to bundle drug profits.
3. John Germaine (The Logistics Expert)
- Age: 35
- Residence: Holt Drive, Ormskirk
- Role: Handled transportation and storage of drugs
- Criminal Earnings: £12,349,684.60
- Sentence: 11 years and 8 months in prison
Germaine’s fingerprints were found on cash bags, and he later admitted to using a storage unit in Burscough, where police discovered 9kg of high-purity cocaine.
4. Daniel Heeley (The Morecambe Connection)
- Age: 31
- Residence: Rylstone Drive, Heysham
- Role: Handled drug distribution in the Morecambe area
- Criminal Earnings: £745,020.74
- Sentence: 15 years and 3 months in prison
Known as “Morc” in the gang’s ledgers, Heeley communicated frequently with other gang members, coordinating the supply of drugs to Morecambe.
5. Gillian Melville (The Money Keeper)
- Age: 66
- Residence: Marchbank Road, Skelmersdale
- Role: Assisted with storing and managing cash
- Sentence: 23 months (suspended) + 18-month rehabilitation
Melville, the mother of ringleader Alan Causer, initially denied involvement, claiming £17,400 found in handbags was her “life savings”. Judge Watson concluded she had been a willing participant, stating:
“You knew exactly what was going on. The ledgers and the ill-gotten gains were kept at your home. You acted with your eyes open.”
The Proceeds of Crime Act Hearing
Following their convictions, the case returned to Liverpool Crown Court for a Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) hearing. The court heard that the gang had collectively amassed over £25 million from drug trafficking.
However, the police recovered only a fraction of this wealth. Judge Watson ordered the confiscation of:
- £3,730 from Causer’s arrest
- £1 nominal sums from Shacklady, Germaine, and Heeley – all judged to have no recoverable assets
How the Empire Was Built and Operated
The investigation revealed that the gang used sophisticated tactics to evade law enforcement, including:
- Drug Ledgers: Meticulous documentation of sales and payments
- Hidden Compartments: Specially modified vehicles for drug transport
- Encrypted Phones: Multiple “burner” phones and 394 logged calls between Heeley and Causer
- Storage Units: A Burscough storage unit housing 9kg of cocaine
Community Impact and Police Response
The discovery of this multi-million-pound drug empire has sent shockwaves through Lancashire and surrounding areas. Detective Chief Inspector Sarah Johnson from the NCA stated:
“This was a sophisticated and large-scale drug trafficking operation that posed significant harm to communities across the North of England. We remain committed to dismantling organised crime networks like this.”
While the ringleaders are now behind bars, the full extent of the drug empire’s profits remains hidden. Police continue to monitor the gang’s assets and may seize further funds if discovered.
The case serves as a stark reminder of the scale and sophistication of modern drug trafficking networks – and the importance of community vigilance in tackling organised crime.
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