A dealer who pushed drugs around Merseyside and Cheshire has been jailed after being caught by a graft phone.
Jordan Duckett came to the attention of police after officers investigating the county lines gang 'Scouse Macca Team' after photographs of him and texts sent from him were found on a graft phone. Liverpool crown court heard how detectives investigating the gang carried out search's at a property on Warkworth Court, Ellesmere Port on, March 29, this year.
In the address, police found and seized class A drugs along with a graft phone – used to sell illegal drugs to users – and other mobile phones. Five people were arrested in connection with the raids.
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One of the five was charged and pleaded guilty at the first appearance which resulted in him being sentenced to 40 months imprisonment on 12 May. However further examination of the evidence gathered, including the graft phone, lead to the arrest and charge of Duckett.
The examination of the phone revealed images of Duckett and chat conversations he was party to, which involved talk of drug activity. On Wednesday, July 27, the 26-year-old was arrested at his home address in Wallasey.
Officers, from Ellesmere Port Proactive Team, recovered 64 wraps of crack cocaine which was prepared for onward supply at a value of £640. Duckett, of Ashville Road, Poulton, plead guilty to being concerned in the supply of class A drugs (cocaine), class B drugs (ketamine and cannabis) and possession with intent to supply class A (crack cocaine) and class B (Cannabis). He was sentenced to three years and four months in prison.
Detective Constable Stuart Wood, of Western Proactive Team, said: "Despite being released under investigation for offences in March, Duckett continued to supply drugs right up to the point of being arrested once again in July. He thought that he could get away with bringing crack cocaine and heroin into Ellesmere Port by travelling across the border to sell it, but he was wrong.
"Our officers worked to sever the gang’s criminal enterprise by hacking away at each part of the operation to keep the communities of Ellesmere Port safe. Drugs such as these have no place on our streets and by tackling Duckett and seizing large quantities of illegal substances, we have been able to intervene and stop these drugs from finding the way into the hands of vulnerable users.
"I’d like to express my thanks to the courts for sending Duckett away for a long period of time and I hope this sends a clear message that county lines activity has no place in the town."
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