Ex-Liverpool player jailed for 6 years after being involved with crime gang in £6 million drug racket

Former Liverpool midfielder Layton Maxwell has been given an eight-year jail sentence after being involved in a drug racket, as reported by The Daily Mail.

The Welshman came through the youth ranks of Liverpool alongside greats like Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher.

He made just one appearance for the Merseyside giants back in 1999 at the age of 19. Maxwell played full 90 minutes against Hull City in the League Cup and scored a goal to help the Reds secure a 4-2 win.

Despite making a goalscoring debut for Liverpool, Maxwell's career never really took off as he dropped down the football pyramid.

After roughly a year without first-team action for the Reds, the Welsh midfielder was loaned to Stockport County for a season before moving to Cardiff City and then Swansea.

The Welshman then dropped through the divisions before seeing out his career in the League of Wales, including spells at Bangor City and Caernarfon.

After retiring from football, he became an engineer with Vodafone before taking charge at Cardiff Draconians in Welsh football’s third tier. However, the Welshman stepped down in December due to increased work commitments.

Now at the age of 43, Maxwell has been locked up after letting a crime gang use his home in Cardiff as a safe house for storing drugs in a £6 million racket.

He was one of the eight people sentenced to a combined 80 years with other gang members awaiting their fates.

Cardiff Crown Court heard how Maxwell was paid £500 a month to act as a courier for gang bosses.

Prosecutors said that drugs, money and weighing equipment were found in his Cardiff house, which was used as a safe house for operations.

The former Liverpool midfielder was arrested as part of a UK-wide investigation into organized crime, Operation Venetic, which saw millions of pounds worth of drugs and cash seized.

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Liverpool will be hoping to get their season back on track after a statement win against Manchester City

Liverpool have not enjoyed their best start to the season and find themselves a long way behind in the title race already.

They secured a much-needed 1-0 victory against Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday, October 16, and it could well be a result that changes the course of their season.

Jurgen Klopp's side are eighth in the table with just 13 points in nine games and trail league leaders Arsenal by 14 points with a game in hand.

We will have to wait and see whether they can mount a title challenge from such a situation or not. But they will certainly take a lot of confidence from their victory against Pep Guardiola's side.