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A sophisticated family-run drug network, spearheaded by 65-year-old Deborah Mason, dubbed the "Queen Bee" and "gangster granny" by police, has been dismantled, with eight members sentenced to a combined total of 106.5 years in prison at Woolwich Crown Court on Friday, July 18, 2025. The operation involved the distribution of nearly a ton of cocaine with an estimated street value of £80 million across the UK.
The court heard that between April and November 2023, the gang orchestrated the collection of imported cocaine packages, distributing them across London and to major cities including Bradford, Leicester, Birmingham, Bristol, and Cardiff. The wholesale value of the drugs was estimated to be between £23 million and £35 million.
Deborah Mason, found guilty of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, received a 20-year prison sentence. Judge Philip Shorrock condemned her actions, stating, "You were effectively the site foreman working under the direction of a site manager. You recruited members of your own family – as a mother you should have been setting an example for your children and not corrupting them."
Prosecutor Charlotte Hole detailed how the "Queen Bee" recruited her sister, children, their partners, and friends, forming a network of at least ten individuals. Mason was a central figure, participating in 20 trips and delivering 356kg of cocaine, in addition to managing cash deliveries and collections. Despite receiving over £50,000 annually in benefit income during the conspiracy period, Mason lived a lavish lifestyle, spending profits on designer goods and planning cosmetic surgery in Turkey.
The family's involvement ran deep. When Deborah Mason was on holiday in Dubai, her daughter, 29-year-old Roeseanne Mason of Canonbury, North London, took over the directing role. Roeseanne, who made seven trips delivering approximately 166kg of cocaine, also notably recruited Anita Slaughter into the gang. Roeseanne Mason was sentenced to 11 years imprisonment.
Lillie Bright, 26, of Ashford, Kent, was involved in 20 trips handling 195kg of cocaine and was sentenced to 13 years. Disturbingly, Lillie Bright and her partner, Chloe Hodgkin, 23, of Wye, Kent (who is awaiting sentencing after the birth of her baby), took Lillie's then two-year-old son with them in a car containing kilograms of cocaine. Lillie Bright was also found to have 35g of cocaine for sale.
Demi Bright, 30, of Ashford, Kent, a mother of two, made a single trip in August 2023 involving 60kg of cocaine, also bringing her children along. She later withdrew from the plot in November 2023, reportedly wanting to "go straight" after her sister Roeseanne's arrest. Demi Bright received an 11-year sentence.
Reggie Bright, 24, of Staplehurst, Kent, carried out 12 trips, delivering at least 90kg of cocaine and sometimes collecting wages for the group. He often took trips with his partner, Demi Kendall, 31, also of Staplehurst, Kent, who made 15 trips involving 98kg of cocaine and "often" took her toddler with her. Reggie Bright was sentenced to 15 years, and Demi Kendall received 13 years and six months. Kendall also recruited her friend, Tina Golding, 66, of Ashford, Kent, who made four trips, delivered at least 75kg of cocaine, and collected at least £10,000 in wages. Golding was jailed for 10 years.
Anita Slaughter, 44, of Ashford, Kent, participated in a single trip in October 2023, delivering 55kg across four drops, and was sentenced to 13 years.
Robert Hutchinson, the Crown Prosecution Service specialist prosecutor, commented after the sentencing, "This was no ordinary family. Instead of nurturing and caring for her relatives, Deborah Mason recruited them to establish an extraordinarily profitable criminal enterprise that would ultimately put them all behind bars."
Detective Constable Jack Kraushaar, who led the investigation, highlighted the gang's motive: "The group were sucked into criminality, selfishly attracted by the financial benefits of the drug-dealing to fund lavish lifestyles. They were unaware we were coming for them and this sentencing should act as a deterrent to others."
