Exclusive:Drug dealing gang using codenames Land and Rover foiled selling crack to undercover police officer for a month
Toon, Kirk and Smith were arrested after the officer secretly videoed multiple drug deals in the back of a Land Rover Discovery
A South Yorkshire drug dealing quartet who went by the codenames Land and Rover, Cemetery and Cross, were foiled when they spent a month selling crack to an undercover police officer, a court heard.
The four were all members of a Barnsley drugs line named Toone, “unfortunately” after one of the defendants, which was “perhaps” indicative of a “lack of imagination”, said a prosecutor.
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Dale Toone, Ross Kirk and Codey Smith were arrested after the officer secretly videoed multiple buys in the back of a Land Rover Discovery, a BMW and a Skoda near a cemetery rendezvous point between May and June 2025.
Toone (Land) and Kirk (Rover) would alternate in passing the drugs or driving during the buys the court heard. While Smith (Cemetery) was a “runner”.
Peter Byrne, prosecuting, told Sheffield Crown Court: “They were all identified by covert footage provided by the undercover Ste.”
While Smith and Toone remained silent in police interviews, Kirk claimed he was forced to deal “under threat of violence”.
Toone, 30, of Swaithdale, Worsborough Dale, had 10 previous convictions for 10 offences including drug supply and aggravated burglary.
Smith, 22, of Yews Lane, Worsborough Dale, had just one driving conviction and Kirk, 23, of Royston Road, Cudworth, had no previous convictions, the court heard.
Another defendant identified by police - with the codename Cross - will be sentenced at a later date.
Barristers for Kirk and Smith said both lacked maturity and played lesser roles. Toone’s barrister argued he was not performing a “management function” as evidenced by his street-level dealing with the two younger men.
However Judge Charles Thomas told him: “The line was called the Toone line - that must reflect the reality of who the line belonged to.
“The prosecution cannot say say who had the leading or significant role but bearing in mind your age and previous convictions I’ve no doubt you were involved in the management of this operation.”
Toone was jailed for three years. Kirk was handed 23 months suspended for two years with 150 hours of unpaid work and 15 rehabilitation activity days.
Smith had 20 months suspended for two years with 150 hours of unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation activity days. All four defendants admitted supplying class A drugs.