Grandma Gone Gangster: Queen Bee Deborah Mason Busted for Running £80m UK Coc@!ne Network
When think of a grandma, a gentle old lady baking cookies usually comes to mind—but Deborah Mason, aka “Queen Bee,” flipped that script by running a family-fueled cocaine empire across the UK, racking up a staggering £80 million in street value drug deals. Now, this 65-year-old matriarch is behind bars for a whopping 20 years.
Alongside seven other gang members, Mason faced sentencing at Woolwich Crown Court on July 18 for masterminding the supply of nearly a ton of cocaine over seven months in 2023. The gang’s couriers, including young mothers ferrying their children along for the ride, distributed drugs across major cities like London, Bradford, Leicester, Birmingham, Bristol, and Cardiff.
The wholesale worth of their illicit cargo fell between £23 million and £35 million, but its street value soared to around £80 million. Despite her criminal enterprise, Mason enjoyed the perks, spending her ill-gotten gains on designer trappings and even eyeing cosmetic surgery in Turkey. When she jetted off to Dubai, her daughter Roseanne stepped up to keep the operation running.
Judge Shorrock didn’t mince words, calling Mason the “site foreman” in the scheme and criticising her for dragging her own family into crime instead of setting a better example. The court heard that the network included close family members, partners, and friends—everyone drawn in mostly by the lure of quick cash rather than coercion.
Mason was reportedly pocketing over £50,000 a year in benefits while running the drug operation—an ironic twist to say the least. Her defense lawyer claimed she was picked for her inconspicuous appearance, making her an unlikely suspect.
The network’s members were no amateurs either: some logged numerous trips moving massive quantities of cocaine, while others juggled childcare duties amid drug runs. Those caught alongside Mason received prison sentences ranging from 10 to 15 years.
This well-oiled criminal machine was eventually dismantled thanks to thorough intelligence work, call data analysis, and good old-fashioned surveillance by Metropolitan police. DC Jack Kraushaar, who spearheaded the investigation, praised the relentless efforts to stop the flood of drugs wreaking havoc in communities nationwide.
In a world where grandmas bake pies or babysit grandchildren, Mason was busy building a cocaine empire. Now, she’ll have plenty of time behind bars to rethink her “Queen Bee” legacy.