'Bag for life' drug dealer caught with crack cocaine, heroin and cash

Jacob Cooper, 24, was with his girlfriend and an associate when he was stopped and searched by police in Shrewsbury who thought they could smell cannabis.

Officers found drugs with a street value of more than £1,000 including 72 wraps of crack cocaine, 36 wraps of heroin, and a small quantity of cannabis, as well as nearly £785 in cash in his bag. A phone containing messages pertaining to drug dealing activity was also found on him.

At Cooper's sentencing hearing at Shrewsbury Crown Court, prosecutor Saleema Mahmood said that the associate who was with the defendant when he was caught on June 6 last year, is subject to County Lines proceedings.

Cooper, of Caradoc View, Hanwood, Shrewsbury, pleaded guilty to two charges of possession of Class A drugs with intent to supply.

Stephen Scully, defending, said Cooper had "dabbled" with Class A drugs as a user, and was dealing to feed his own cannabis addiction, because not seeing his young son was affecting his mental health.

"He has a long-standing history of cannabis misuse," said Mr Scully.

Judge Peter Barrie told Cooper: "You made a very bad and damaging decision when you decided to get involved in the trade of illegal drugs. It is clear you were involved in street dealing. The contents of the phone show that it wasn't an isolated incident.

"I have no alternative but to treat you as someone who had a significant role in what was happening."

The judge sentenced Cooper to a jail term of two years and eight months, half of which will be served behind bars before he is released on licence.

Detective Sergeant Steve Miller, of West Mercia Police, said: “This sentence acts a reminder to those undertaking criminality that we will not tolerate it.

“By working with our local communities we can work together to target County Lines drug supplies to help protect people from harm.

“Anyone concerned about drug dealing in their local area can report it online here and we will investigate.”