Seven men have been sentenced to more than 27 years in prison for their involvement in the supply of drugs across Stockton, following one of Cleveland’s largest crackdowns on County Lines.
Dale Hindmarsh, 30, of Stockton was sentenced to four years and nine months for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and two counts of conspiracy to supply Class B drugs.
Jake Hutchinson, 29, of Stockton was sentenced to six years for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
Alan Thurston, 40, of Stockton was sentenced to three years and nine months for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
Thomas Blake, 27, of Stockton was sentenced to three years and two months for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
Macauley Hulme, 25, of Stockton was sentenced to three years and two months for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
Adam Coulter, 29, of Stockton was sentenced to three years and nine months for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
Curtis Fitzpatrick, 25, of Stockton was sentenced to two years and seven months for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
Cleveland Police’s investigation into these offences was one of the largest crackdowns on County Lines in the force area in recent years and has seen the successful prosecution of 19 defendants in total.
It was run by the force’s Complex Exploitation Team through funding from the National County Lines Coordination Centre (NCLCC).
County lines is when children or vulnerable people are exploited or coerced by organised crime groups into transporting, selling and/or storing illegal drugs or money.
More than 100 officers from Cleveland Police, the National Crime Agency and British Transport Police’s County Lines team took part in three days of action in March 2022.
As a result, 27 offenders were arrested and £120,000 worth of drugs were seized along with weapons and cash.
A number of children at risk of exploitation were also safeguarded through the force’s ongoing work with partner agencies.
Detective Inspector James Barnes said: “We welcome the sentences given today to this organised crime group who were flooding the streets of Stockton with crack cocaine.
“We hope this sends out a clear message that we will take robust action against those seeking to exploit others into a criminal lifestyle.
“These individuals are the latest to be jailed through the operation and this would not have been possible without the hard work and commitment of the various teams involved in the investigation.
“I would like to thank everyone involved including colleagues in local and regional partner agencies. It is through this collaborative effort that we will continue to tackle the supply of illegal substances and protect vulnerable people from exploitation.
“I’d also like to give special recognition to PC Tracy Finnigan who was fantastic throughout the investigation.”
