Drug Dealers Caught Red-Handed with £125k and 5 Kilos of Cocaine
Liam Storey, 33, and Samantha Haswell, 29, have been sentenced after a major police swoop on their home in South Shields last summer uncovered a haul of cocaine and cash.
Massive Cocaine and Cash Haul Found in Wardrobe
In July last year, officers from the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit (NEROCU), backed by Northumbria Police, executed a warrant on a property on Dacre Street. Intelligence tipped them off about suspected drug dealing.
The search revealed five kilos of high-purity cocaine worth over £200,000 plus a staggering £125,135 in cash stashed inside a wardrobe.
Swift Arrests and Guilty Pleas
Storey and Haswell were arrested on the spot and charged with possession of controlled drugs with intent to supply and money laundering. They were remanded into custody pending their trial.
With the evidence stacked against them, both pleaded guilty ahead of their July 2023 trial.
Sentencing at Newcastle Crown Court
- Liam Storey was handed five years and three months for money laundering and cocaine supply charges.
- Samantha Haswell got a 10-month suspended sentence, with 200 hours of unpaid work, for money laundering.
The dramatic bust highlights the ongoing crackdown on organised drug crime in the North East.
