LONDON (BN24) — A 65-year-old woman known as “gangster granny” has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for leading a sprawling cocaine distribution ring across the UK, involving her own children and relatives in a drug empire that trafficked nearly a tonne of Class A drugs valued at £80 million.
Deborah Mason, also nicknamed “Queen Bee” by her criminal network, was described by prosecutors as the operational force behind the family-run syndicate. On Friday, Woolwich Crown Court sentenced Mason and seven accomplices to a combined 106.5 years in prison after convicting them of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
According to police and court testimony, Mason maintained encrypted communications with an upstream cocaine supplier known as “Bugsy” and coordinated deliveries from ports like Harwich to dozens of destinations across England, including Cardiff, Bradford, Rotherham, Leicester, and Southend. Over the course of seven months, the gang moved vast quantities of imported cocaine, often using vehicles to transport the drugs while taking along young children to mask suspicion.
Mason reportedly used her profits to fund a lavish lifestyle, including designer accessories like a Gucci collar and lead for her cat and plans for cosmetic surgery trips to Turkey. During the operation, she was also receiving over £50,000 annually in public assistance benefits, the court heard.
“You were effectively the site foreman working under the direction of a site manager,” said Judge Philip Shorrock during sentencing. “As a mother, you should have been setting an example for your children, not corrupting them.”
Prosecutor Charlotte Hole said Mason actively recruited her sister, children, and their partners into the operation, building a network of at least ten people. Though there was no evidence of coercion, the group was “motivated by financial benefit,” she said. Each member earned more than £1,000 per day, according to estimates by the Metropolitan Police.
Mason was involved in 20 drug runs herself, moving 356 kilograms of cocaine. She was sentenced alongside:
- Roseanne Mason, 29 – 11 years
- Demi Bright, 30 – 11 years
- Lillie Bright, 26 – 13 years
- Anita Slaughter, 44 – 13 years
- Demi Kendall, 31 – 13 years and 6 months
- Reggie Bright, 24 – 15 years
- Tina Golding, 66 – 10 years
Several of the convicted gang members, including Reggie Bright and Demi Kendall, also pleaded guilty to charges of possessing criminal property and additional drug supply offenses after police seized cocaine and over £15,000 in cash.
Chloe Hodgkin, 23, who is currently pregnant, will be sentenced at a later date.
The case highlights what police called a “brazen” criminal enterprise that ran for months before its collapse. Authorities warned the public against glamorizing the gang’s lifestyle, noting the devastating effects of the drug trade on communities and families.
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