Upminster man jailed for four years in drug gang case

Luke Austin-Davis, aged 23 and residing in Upminster, has been imprisoned for four years. He admitted to charges including being concerned in the supply of cocaine, possessing criminal property, and possessing ketamine. His sentencing is part of a wider Essex Police investigation into Class A drug dealing.

Austin-Davis and Frankie Locke, 20, of Loughton, were reportedly supplied with kilogram quantities of drugs by Rocco Coakley, 23. Coakley was apprehended by armed officers in Loughton in April. During his arrest, Coakley was found to be carrying a loaded handgun.

Discoveries during the operation

A search of Coakley's vehicle yielded 167 individual cocaine packages, approximately 200 grams of ketamine, £200 in cash, a folding lock knife, a concealed storage box, a GPS tracking device, and weighing equipment. Officers later discovered a sword, a serrated knife, and a knife described as a 'predator knife' at Coakley's residence in Loughton.

The gang operated under the name 'the OGS', short for 'The Original Gangsters'. Austin-Davis was arrested on August 5, with police confiscating £17,000 in cash and a machete at that time. He entered his guilty plea at Chelmsford Crown Court on October 30.

Locke was taken into custody on June 11 and subsequently charged with various drug offences and possession of criminal property. He was sentenced to four years in prison at Chelmsford Crown Court on November 6. Coakley pleaded guilty to firearms and drug-related charges and received his sentence of 12 and a half years on Friday, November 13.

Detective Sergeant David Crane, from the serious and organised crime unit, stated that Coakley and his associates presented a considerable danger to the Essex community. He added that Coakley appeared to believe he could carry a loaded firearm and distribute Class A drugs without consequence.