Man running drugs line in Clacton jailed
He was caught with crack cocaine and heroin worth more than £13,000
After being caught with crack cocaine and heroin worth more than £13,000, a drug dealer has been jailed for seven-and-a-half years.
A court heard that 31 year-old Liam Hughes ran the Aron drugs line in Clacton while on licence for previous drugs convictions.
Operation Raptor North, a team which identifies and dismantles drugs gangs, began investigating the line in October last year and identified Hughes as running it.
He was arrested on 28 January when officers carried out a warrant at his home in St Marks Rise in Dalston, East London.
They seized heroin and crack cocaine worth an estimated street value of £13,060.
Hughes admitted two counts of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs at Chelmsford Crown Court on 26 February.
He was jailed the same day.
Essex Police has confirmed the drugs and mobile phones police seized will be destroyed.
Detective Sergeant Tom Coppin said:
"The court heard Hughes played a leading role in selling drugs and had done so while on licence.
"He clearly knew the risks of getting involved in drug dealing but paid no heed and is now serving a significant amount of time in prison.
"There are many reasons why and how people get involved in this kind of lifestyle, but the risks remain the same, whatever your circumstances.
"You put yourself and others in danger because drug dealing goes hand in hand with violence, grooming, and exploitation.
"And you are never far from being arrested and prosecuted, which will impact your freedom and plans for the future.
"We work with a range of organisations to help people who want to get out of gangs and drug dealing.
"We know it can be difficult to take that first step but it’s never too late and there is help for anyone who needs it to walk away and lead the kind of life you really want to live."