'Dangerous' man jailed for dealing £100k of drugs

A man who was involved in the cultivation and supply of cannabis worth more than £100,000 has been jailed for six years.

Adam Cooledge, 39, of Crowle Drive, Grimsby, played an integral role in an organised crime group operating in the area, Humberside Police said.

Det Con Jane Hardie, who led the investigation, said Cooledge was a "dangerous individual" who "had no regard for the lives of those who were purchasing drugs from him".

Cooledge pleaded guilty to conspiring to produce cannabis and supplying diamorphine and cocaine and was sentenced at Grimsby Crown Court on 2 January.

The investigation was launched after officers seized two mobile phones that belonged to Cooledge.

Analysis of the data on the phones revealed the structure of an organised crime group, police said.

The group used an encrypted messaging service called Signal to run the drugs network, with Cooledge identified as the principal drugs member.

A number of messages on the phones related to the cultivation of cannabis and resulted in the identification of two of Cooledge's associates, who were using a property on Columbus Way.

A man and a woman were both charged with conspiring to produce cannabis and pleaded guilty to the offence following an earlier appearance at Grimsby Crown Court.

Officers said they found a comprehensive list detailing how the drugs were being cultivated across a number of other addresses in Grimsby.

On 26 September, they executed a misuse of drugs act warrant at properties on Haycroft Street and Columbus Way.

Cannabis worth £60,800 was found in two properties on Haycroft Street, along with a drugs press, used for pressing cocaine, and a black bag containing white powder.

Police said they established through a drugs expert witness that Cooledge had been involved in the cultivation of approximately £117,616-worth of cannabis and £940 worth of cocaine.

Det Con Hardie said: "This was a lengthy and highly complex investigation conducted by our Kinetic Intervention Unit, and by stopping Cooledge's activities we have prevented significant amounts of drugs from being sold on the streets."

The force said assets seized during the investigation were set to be confiscated under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

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