Seven Locked Up as Cops Smash Major Carlisle Drug Gang
Seven criminals have been jailed for nearly 40 years after Cumbria Police smashed a major drug ring based in Carlisle. Officers seized drugs worth £300,000 in a massive crackdown on organised crime.
Operation Oberlin Takes Down Crime Empire
Detectives from Cumbria Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit launched Operation Oberlin targeting the county’s drug trafficking networks. Over multiple raids, they confiscated cocaine, cannabis, MDMA, more than £60,000 cash, plus weapons and luxury items like Rolex watches.
The gang was run by Stephen Dixon, 35, who brazenly controlled the operation from his prison cell at HMP Northumberland. His right-hand man, Dylan Schwencke, 25, also from Carlisle, even bragged by phone messages: “flat out for 2 years they couldn’t catch us.”
Crime Bosses and Couriers Sent Down
- Stephen Dixon, 35, jailed 8 years 8 months for conspiracy to supply class A drugs.
- Dylan Schwencke, 25, locked up for 10 years 6 months for conspiracy to supply class A drugs and smuggling prohibited items into prison.
- Chance Beardmore, 23, given 3 years 6 months for conspiracy to smuggle items into HMP Northumberland.
- Clare Karpinski, 46, sentenced to 27 months for the same smuggling plot.
- Plus, Simon Pipes (6 years), Ellis Graham (3 years 4 months), and Warren Graham (4 years 6 months) had been jailed in earlier hearings.
Shocking Prison Drug Drop Exposed
Beardmore, Schwencke, and Karpinski were caught organising a prison drug drop on December 23, 2019. Two packages filled with cocaine, cannabis, steroids, prescription drugs, alcohol, syringes, and mobile phones were tossed over the prison fence near the laundry room.
CCTV caught Karpinski driving the vehicle involved, while Beardmore was inside laundry when prison officers intercepted the drop. The haul was worth up to £32,000.
Luxury Watches and Loaded Phones Seized
During a January 2020 raid, police swooped on properties linked to Simon Pipes, uncovering £100,000 worth of cocaine, MDMA tablets, an imitation firearm, knuckle dusters, and three Rolex watches worth nearly £29,000. Messages on mobile phones revealed Dixon’s and Schwencke’s control behind the scenes.
Brother Duo Nabbed With Kilo Blocks of Cocaine
Ellis Graham was stopped by police near Carlisle last year, driving a van containing two kilogram blocks of cocaine worth almost £200,000. Phone records linked his brother Warren Graham to the conspiracy. Both worked under Schwencke’s orders, supplying drugs for Dixon’s gang.
Police Deliver Stern Warning to Drug Dealers
Detective Chief Inspector David Cooper said: “This sends a stark warning to anyone looking to profit from drugs in Cumbria. These lengthy sentences are just the start – we will relentlessly pursue all those involved.”
“This was a Carlisle-based organised crime group with Merseyside links. Their drugs now won’t poison our streets.”
Crime Commissioner Pledges Continued Crackdown
Police and Crime Commissioner Peter McCall praised officers, saying: “The fight against drugs and the devastation they cause remains a top priority. These criminals showed no regard for the harm done, especially to young people.”
He added that seized funds will be put back into the community to create a safer Cumbria. Mr McCall urged locals to report drug activity, warning: “Dealers thinking about operating here should think again – we will track them down and bring them to justice.”
Proceeds of Crime action is set to strip the gang of their illegal wealth as the crackdown on drugs in Cumbria steps up.
