Three men have gone on trial charged with being part of a drugs gang operating in Brighton and Hove. They are
- Ryan Carden, 27, of Shannon Close in Peacehaven
- Jonathan Minihane, 32, of New Church Road in Hove
- Nigel Maynard, 39, of no fixed address
All three deny the offences which are alleged to have taken place from September 2011 to April last year.
Carden, the managing director of Peacehaven firm G&S Clearance, is charged with conspiring to supply heroin.
Carden and Minihane are jointly charged with conspiring to supply amphetamine.
Carden is also charged with transferring a prohibited weapon – a sawn-off shotgun less than 2ft long – and with money laundering £20,000 cash.
Minihane is also charged with having amphetamine with intent to supply, two offences of money laundering a total of £10,380 cash, having cannabis, dangerous driving and driving while disqualified.
Minihane and Maynard are charged with conspiring to pervert the course of justice.
Maynard is also charged, separately, with an offence of acting with intent to pervert the course of justice and with having amphetamine with intent to supply.
The charges were authorised by the Crown Prosecution Service after an investigation by the Sussex Police Serious Organised Crime Unit.
The trial started at Lewes Crown Court last Monday (7 January) and is expected to last six weeks.
