A police investigation that began with suspicion and ended with stacks of cash has led to lengthy prison sentences for two men involved in large-scale drug supply and money laundering.
At Swindon Crown Court, Charlie Savage, 27, was handed 12 years in prison after admitting offences linked to the supply of controlled drugs and laundering criminal proceeds. His associate, Shay Girvan, 22, received nine years for his role in the same operation.
The case, led by Wiltshire Police, uncovered what officers described as a significant organised crime group operating across the country.
Savage, formerly of Standerwick near Frome, was found to have overseen the distribution of more than 188 kilograms of cocaine — a figure that gives some sense of the scale involved. Girvan, from Warminster, acted as a key figure in moving drugs and cash between locations.
The investigation gathered pace in April last year when Savage was arrested in Knightsbridge, London, carrying a rucksack containing more than £65,000 in cash.
Detective Constable Jared Yalden said the operation’s complexity was matched only by its reach.
“Savage was operating at a level above what we would expect for someone of his age,” he said. “However, that operation relied on detailed record keeping — and that ultimately worked against him.”
Those records proved central to the case. Officers were able to trace connections across the network, leading to more than 30 further arrests involving customers, couriers and suppliers. Many of those cases remain under review.
Girvan, described as a “trusted lieutenant”, played a hands-on role in transporting both drugs and money — a level of involvement reflected in the sentence imposed.
Further action is still to come. Both men will face proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act, with assets expected to be confiscated. Savage will also be subject to a Serious Crime Prevention Order upon his release.
Detective Sergeant Richard Nelsen said the force would continue to rely on information from the public.
“We rely on our communities to identify those engaged in criminality,” he said. “We will deal robustly with those who break the law.”
As investigations continue into others linked to the network, the case stands as a reminder of how organised crime often leaves a paper trail — and how quickly that trail can unravel.
