Two young County Lines dealers caught with drugs in Warrington have been warned to think about their futures.
Jailing both Jake Cullen and Cameron Irvine for three years Judge David Aubrey, KC said, “You were playing a significant role within this operation.
“Each of you is streetwise and if you continue to be involved in crime after this inevitable custodial sentence you will discover that you will serve longer and longer in the future and simply be wasting your lives.
“The court knows you have some potential. The question is which road you will travel down on your release.”
Stella Hayden, prosecuting, told Liverpool Crown Court that they were both arrested on August 23 “as part of an investigation into County Lines drug trafficking from Warrington.
“Police identified a particular number being used to send out flare messages advertising for sale Class A drugs. They were able to locate the number to Lovely Lane, Warrington.”
Officers went there shortly after 4 pm and located the two defendants who were stopped and searched. Cullen was in possession of three packages one of which contained 59 wraps of crack cocaine and 31 of heroin, worth a total of £900.
The second package contained 135 wraps of crack cocaine and a Nokia graft phone from which the bulk of flame messages were sent from between August 10 – 18.
Irvine was in possession of a Morrison’s bag which contained three separate packages of crack cocaine weighing a total of just over 80 grams worth £1,200.
Miss Hayden said that he also had a black-handled knife and £580 cash and more cash, bringing the total of £974 was found at his home. When Cullen’s home was searched officers found drug dealing paraphernalia.
Irvine, also 22, of Withers Avenue, Orford, Warrington, admitted two offences of being concerned in supplying crack cocaine and heroin.
Cullen, 22, of Spinney View, Kirkby, pleaded guilty to four offences involving two of possessing heroin and crack cocaine with intent supply and two of being concerned in supplying heroin and cocaine.
Defence barrister, Frank Dillon, said that Irvine had become involved in the cannabis culture after leaving school at 16. “He was living a lethargic and lazy lifestyle and became involved in supplying.”
Irvine, who has three previous convictions involving drugs, ran up a cannabis debt and fear over repayment led to him using cocaine which in turn led to him supplying it.
“He was a ferryman, ferrying between those dealing to users,” said Mr Dillon.
Jim Smith, defending, said that although the graft phone Cullen had been using was tracked to a flat in Lovely Lane his home was in Kirkby.
He had been suffering from depression and although he has nine previous convictions none were for drug trafficking and this will be his first custodial sentence.
Judge Aubrey told Irvine, “Regrettably drugs and knives go hand in hand and there was a considerable amount of money seized from your person and your home address.”
He ordered that the £974 seized from Irvine and the £104 taken from Cullen be given to the court’s November charity, ‘Liverpool in Arms’ which helps homeless people.
*County lines is the name given to drug dealing where organised criminal groups (OCGs) use phone lines to move and supply drugs, usually from cities into smaller towns and rural areas.
