Former Blackpool FC, Chester and Stockport County footballer Jamie Menagh jailed for his role in £250m drugs conspiracy
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Jamie Menagh was involved in a conspiracy that saw Class A drugs smuggled into the country. At a court hearing on Wednesday (November 20), it was revealed the 31-year-old helped the group distribute the drugs to other couriers.


Menagh, of Waterloo Quay, Liverpool, was subsequently jailed for seven and a half years.
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Hide AdMenagh represented Liverpool Schoolboys as a child before later signing his first professional contract at Blackpool. He went on to represent teams across the north west including Prescot Cables, Chester FC, Marine FC and Stockport County.
How was the criminal network dismantled?
The network was dismantled by a North West Regional Organised Crime Unit (NWROCU) investigation named Operation Falcon. Earlier this year, Guy Remington, Luke Hirst, Morgan Towner and Thomas Smith received a combined 55-year sentence.
The group was responsible for smuggling Class A drugs with an estimated street value of more than £250m into the country. The criminal network used the Eurotunnel to transport drugs from Holland, France, and Belgium, concealing them in an empty trailer.
Once in the UK, the drugs were moved to a farm in Deeside, North Wales, where they were repackaged for distribution to couriers from across the country.
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Hide AdIn September 2023, after the group’s ninth and final drug run to Europe, Remington while he was unloading his trailer at the farm.
During the warrant, Charles Dilworth, 25, of Churston Road, Liverpool, fled the scene and later left the country.
He was arrested at Manchester airport upon his return and has been jailed for seven years and six months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
Dilworth’s getaway car, a black Range Rover, was spotted by police in the area. Five minutes later, the occupants of the car made a false 999 call claiming they had been kidnapped at knifepoint on their way to a local bar.
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Hide AdA quick search by officers revealed that the bar had been closed since 2016. They were later arrested and convicted for attempting to pervert the course of justice.


Michael Hardie, 32, of Makin Street, Liverpool, was jailed for 12 months.
Erin Lee, 22, of Netherfield Road South, Liverpool, and Alesha Lee, 24, of Smithdown Road, Liverpool, both received an eight month sentence suspended for 18 months.
Also sentenced were drugs suppliers and couriers from Liverpool, South Yorkshire, and London:
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Hide Ad- Jon Fairclough, 37, of William Jessop Way, Liverpool, was jailed for seven years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
- David Hague, 50, of Owston Road, Doncaster, was jailed for 9 years and four months after pleading guilty to possession with intent to supply Class A drugs.
- Michael Day, 36, of Manchester Road, Liverpool, was jailed for six years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
- Mark Blower, 32, of Dartmouth Park Avenue, was jailed for 14 years and three months for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
Det Chief Superintendent Ian Whitehead, Head of the NWROCU, said: “This operation demonstrates our unwavering commitment to dismantling organised crime networks and protecting our communities from the scourge of illegal drugs. This brings the total to over 100 years sentencing for Operation Falcon. We will continue to work tirelessly to bring those involved in drug trafficking to justice and ensure the safety of the communities in the north west.”