Two men jailed after Dedicated Drugs Unit stop suspicious vehicle
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Two men were jailed after officers from our Dedicated Drugs Unit (DDU) spotted a vehicle believed to be used in the supply of drugs whilst on patrol in March this year.
After the BMW came to a stop, 38-year-old Daniel Bowden, who was the front seat passenger, fled the scene and threw away a man bag.
Bowden was quickly apprehended by officers and a number of wraps of cocaine were located in the discarded man bag.
The driver, Ryan Grainger, 27, was also detained after he was found in possession of cocaine. A search of the vehicle led to £4,000 in cash being located, and examination of mobile phones showed messages relating to the supply of drugs.
Both men were arrested and charged with being concerned in the supply Class A drugs and possession of criminal property.
After being granted bail from court, Grainger continued his criminal activity and on 9th July, the DDU executed a search warrant at his home address.
He was further charged with an additional charge of the possession of cocaine with intent to supply Class A drugs.
Financial enquiries showed tens of thousands of pounds in transactions going through both suspect’s bank accounts despite neither of them working and only being in receipt of benefits.
On 10th September, Grainger and Bowden pleaded guilty to all offences Teesside Crown Court. Grainger was sentenced to 64 months in prison and Bowden was sentenced to 59 months in prison.
Inspector Phil Morris said: “We will continue to pursue those exploiting vulnerable people addicted to drugs for their own benefit by arresting them and bringing them before the courts.
“Grainger continued to commit crime even when he was on bail but we were quickly able to conduct a warrant at his address to ensure he was no longer able to supply illicit drugs within the community.
“Whilst we’re always proactive in our approach, information from the public in cases like this can be crucial to help us know where our resources are needed. Please keep reporting incidents to us on 101.”
Anyone with information is urged to contact Cleveland Police on 101 or you can report crime online via our website: Report a crime | Cleveland Police Always call 999 in an emergency.
Information can also be passed to Crimestoppers anonymously online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org or by calling 0800 555 111.