March 16, 2018 5.01 pm This story is over 78 months old

Gang members who flooded China-imported drugs onto Boston streets behind bars

Eight people have been convicted.

Four more gang members have been sentenced for their part in an international network which flooded the streets of Boston with drugs, bringing the total convicted to eight.

Two men who were part of a drugs gang which imported mephedrone from China to sell in Boston were today given jail sentences at Lincoln Crown Court.

Two women who played lesser roles in the drug importing operation were each given suspended jail sentences.

They’re the latest in a series of convicted offenders in the case:

Rimantas Zigaras and Irnas Nikunttas were involved in the operation which led to large quantities of the drug being brought into the UK and distributed.

The drugs were bought directly from a manufacturing laboratory in China and delivered to addresses in the Boston area and other parts of the UK.

The mephedrone was then divided up and distributed in Boston.

The court heard that 24 consignments of 1kg of mephedrone were delivered through courier companies with payments totalling £35,000 made via Western Union and MoneyGram.

Zigaras, 34, of Wood Lane, Isleworth, West London, and Nikunttas, 25, of Freston, Paston, Peterborough, each denied conspiracy to import drugs between May 1 2015 and August 20 2016 but were found guilty by a jury following a trial earlier this year.

Zigaras was jailed for six and a half years.

Rimantas Zigaras, 34, of Wood Lane in Isleworth. Sentenced to six and a half years in prison.

Judge John Pini QC, passing sentence, said Zigaras had played a significant role.

The judge said “He had both operational and management responsibilities. He clearly knew the scale of the operation and was motivated by financial reward for himself.”

Ben Isaacs, prosecuting, said Zigaras was in close contact with the main man Donatas Liumas as well as making payments to China for drugs.

Nikunttas was jailed for five years.

Nikunttas performed a lesser role under the direction of others.

Irnas Nikunttas, 25, of Freston in Peterborough. Sentenced to five years in prison.

Geidre Vaitkute (partner of Liumas), 33, of Freston, Paston, Peterborough, was given a two year jail sentence suspended for two years with a four month night-time curfew.

Justyna Kulpyte (partner of Zigaras), 26, of Wood Lane, Isleworth, was given 15 months jail suspended for two years with a three month night-time curfew.

Both denied conspiracy to import drugs but were found guilty by the jury.

Mr Isaacs said the two women became involved through their partners with Vaitkute being in a relationship with Liumas and Kulpyte with Zigaras. Both women transferred money which facilitated the conspiracy.

Last year sentences totalling more than 30 years were handed out to four men convicted of their parts in the conspiracy.

  • Donatas Liumas, 29, of The Flats, Paston Ridings, Peterborough
  • Jonas Daugintis, 21, of Oakham Terrace, Haven Village, Boston
  • Arnaldas Cvetkov, 30, of Joy Paine Close, Boston

Each denied conspiracy to supply drugs between December 1 2015 and August 17 2016 but were found guilty by a jury following a trial.

All three pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import drugs between May 1 2015 and August 17, 2016.

Jake Louth, 35, of Tower Road, Boston, admitted conspiracy to supply mephedrone.

He also admitted possession of cocaine with intent to supply relating to a stash of drugs found at his home.

Liumas was jailed for 11 years. Cvetkov and Daugintis were each jailed for seven years and four months. Louth was jailed for seven years and eight months.