Surrey drug gang disguised themselves as barbers and electricians

Four drug dealers who disguised themselves as barbers and electricians, sentenced to 35 years in prison.

Dean Criscuolo, 35, Christopher Brooks, 31, Kerran Boylan, 32, and Ben Dalton, 33, were identified as key members of a gang operating out of Surrey.

The group were arrested in April last year.

Following intelligence work from the National Crime Agency, the information gathered was passed over to individual police forces, including Surrey Police’s Serious Organised Crime Unit.

It was revealed that the men had been dealing drugs to vulnerable users across Surrey, Sussex, and parts of London.

A warrant was executed on Tuesday, 27 April 2021, at an address linked to Dean Criscuolo, where several items, including phones and around £500 cash, were seized. Criscuolo was identified as the leader of this serious organised crime group, effectively running the illegal business, and negotiating wholesale drug supply to other drug dealers in the county.

One of these dealers was Kerran Boylan, and when a further warrant was executed at Boylan’s address, searching officers discovered a large quantity of white powder as well as £1,780 in cash.

Investigative work on phones and vehicles brought Ben Dalton into the investigation, who was identified as also working for Dean Criscuolo as a dealer. Christopher Brooks was in charge of mixing the cocaine.

Detective Constable Arun Sharma, who was the investigating officer in this case, said: “Operation Venetic provided the breakthrough we needed when it came to identifying those involved in serious organised crime, including drug dealing.

“This group of men, particularly Criscuolo, were making thousands by selling drugs to vulnerable users and were disguising themselves as reputable men, working as barbers and electricians.

“This case is one of many that Surrey Police’s Serious Organised Crime Unit has been dealing with in an ongoing bid to tackle drug related crime in the area.”