County lines dealer travelled by train and taxi to inflict misery on seaside town

A county lines drug dealer travelled by train and taxi to inflict misery on a seaside town.

Jake Waugh headed from his native Liverpool to peddle crack cocaine and heroin in Colwyn Bay, North Wales. Police said he operated a drugs line named 'Scouse Joe’ which offered class A drugs for sale.

The phone sent out 2,674 ‘bulk’ messages advertising drugs over just under a month, from March to April. Messages sent out included 'Scouse joe best of both active in bay', 'On with white scouse joe" and 'Happy hour 4 for 30'.

READ MORE: The downfall of the cocaine kingpin dragged back from Spain to face justice

Waugh, 20, of Thornton Road, Bootle, was identified by police in North Wales and Merseyside. He was stopped by police on April 29th at Colwyn Bay train station, where he was in possession of a phone and £300 in cash.

Police said that after he was stopped, Waugh activated a new phone number. North Wales Police said that Waugh would travel by train or taxi 'almost daily' to Colwyn Bay.

Officers said that CCTV footage and telecommunications enquiries linked Waugh to the running of the ‘graft’ phone. He was arrested at his home in Liverpool on May 21 and charged.

Waugh pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin. At Bolton Crown Court on Friday, he was sentenced to four years and four months in prison. He was also subjected to a criminal behaviour order to last five years.

After the hearing, PC Ashley Davies said: “County lines drug dealing is linked to the most serious violence, which causes misery and fear in our communities. I welcome the sentence handed to Waugh and I hope this case provides reassurance to the local community, demonstrating that we are committed to doing all we can to tackle drug-related crime in North Wales."