Brothers jailed over mobile drug shop targeting students

Two sons of a Bermudan Government minister have been jailed for over four years each after Lincoln Crown Court heard how they ran their own drug dealing operation targeting university students in the city.

Marcus Weeks and his younger brother Dalji Waldron, whose father Michael Weeks is the Minister of Social Development and Sports in the Bermudan Government, ran what was described as “a mobile shop” selling cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis.

Lisa Hardy, prosecuting, said that the brothers ran the operation as a business to make money.

“They were operating at mid-market level. They were buying in bulk amounts collecting the drugs from London then selling them in gramme deals. They had a range of products.

“They clearly had a management function within this. They were not drug users. They were motivated by financial gain.

“Neither was ever registered as employed in the UK and neither was registered as a student.”

The brothers were initially arrested in January 2017 after a car being driven by Marcus Weeks was stopped by police on the A1 at Colsterworth for having no insurance.

Officers smelled cannabis and quantities of the drug were found inside the Rover car.

As a result police raided their home in Clarina Street, Lincoln and discovered £16,000 worth of cannabis, ecstasy and cocaine in the brothers’ locked bedrooms.

Checks on their mobile phones revealed messages showing they had been dealing for months.

Mrs Hardy said: “Messages on Waldron’s phone showed he was a mid-market dealer. He had people working for him. He used taxis for the delivery of drugs to customers and people paid him on tick (tab).

“Weeks’ phone showed he was buying in bulk from someone importing drugs and had someone working for him as a dealer.

“The messages showed they were meeting students. The arrangement was to meet at the front of the University of Lincoln reception.”

The brothers were bailed but arrested again nine months later after police carried out a search of a terraced house in Dixon Street, Lincoln, which was being used to grow cannabis.

Marcus Weeks was at the property when police arrived and the fingerprints of both himself and his brother were found on growing equipment. The cannabis plants could potentially have yielded almost £11,000 worth of drugs.

Marcus Weeks, 28, and Dalji Waldron, 23, both of Clarina Street, Lincoln, admitted charges of conspiracy to supply cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis between August 17 2016 and September 22 2017.

They also admitted production of cannabis on September 22 2017.

They were each jailed for four years and four months. Waldron was given a two month consecutive sentence for being in breach of a suspended jail sentence imposed for affray.

Recorder Graham Huston, passing sentence, told them: “The messages show you had a large number of customers from the student population in Lincoln. It would appear that is a group you targeted. Clearly this was a profitable business.”

Jerome Lynch QC, in mitigation, told the court: “Their father is a minister in the Bermudan Government. He is absolutely heartbroken by what his two sons have done not least because his third son died in a motor car accident. He now loses these sons as well for a time.”

Mr Lynch added: “They were operating what can best be described as a mobile shop. They were not pressing these drugs on the vulnerable. They were in receipt of information from customers seeking to purchase.

“I don’t offer any excuses because they have had a relatively comfortable background. Bermuda is a strict place. It is almost as if being allowed off the leash in a new country has provided the backdrop to this criminal behaviour.”