THREE people who were arrested as part of a covert operation to crackdown on the supply of drugs have been jailed for the roles they played in flooding Dearne Valley towns and villages with crack cocaine.
Taylor Caddick, Billy Jones and Andrew Walton all sold drugs for the 'bring and ring' Bolton Line, which operated in the Bolton-upon-Dearne area.
All three were caught in the act supplying wraps of crack cocaine, predominantly in the Mexborough area, with detectives gathering a wealth of evidence and intelligence on their activities before arresting them and bringing them into custody.
PC Lee Ashworth, who is part of the Operation Dream Alpha team, which has secured over 165 years of prison sentences by targeting and prosecuting drug dealers in the area, said:
"These County Line networks bring terror and violence to our local communities, with illegal drugs transported into smaller areas and then sold through a dedicated mobile phone line.
"This kind of criminality is linked to organised crime gangs responsible for some of the most serious and horrific violence we see on our streets.
"It destroys lives and communities, and that is why Operation Dream Alpha has focused on targeting the individuals supplying these drugs and bringing them to justice.
"We will continue to relentlessly pursue those who look to engage in this type of criminality and put these drug dealers behind bars where they belong."
Caddick, 25, of Browning Road, Rotherham, was jailed for two years after pleading guilty to two counts of supplying crack cocaine, with Jones, 20, of Cresswell Road, Swinton, given a two-year and four-month sentence in a young offender institution for six counts of supplying crack cocaine, possessing an offensive weapon in a private place and possession of cannabis.
Walton, 55, of Cherry Tree Place, Wath, was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison for three counts of supplying crack cocaine, with all three sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court on Thursday (April 10).
A police spokesperson said: “If you have concerns about drug dealing in your area, please report it to us on 101 or online through our website: https://www.southyorkshire.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/.
“We understand some people may wish to report this type of information anonymously. If so, please contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or by filling out a secure and anonymous online form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.”
