Major Leeds drug dealer with £154,000 deposited in his bank 'only had income from benefits'
A leading dealer who ran a profitable phone line peddling deadly drugs was later found to have had more than £154,000 deposited in his bank account.
Jacob Brown only had legitimate income from Universal Credit after being registered as unemployed.
But the 31-year-old was running a drugs line that sent out huge bulk messages advertising crack and heroin deals. He even sent out messages wanting to recruit people, specifically drivers to allow drugs to be delivered.
He was jailed at Leeds Crown Court this week for more than seven years.
The court was told that police had been monitoring the drugs phone line and finally executed a raid on Brown’s house on Autumn Place, Hyde Park in May. He was not home at tghe time. Other homes were raided and two further suspects were arrested.
Officers found scales, bags of drugs and an imitation firearm at Brown’s home. Crucially, they found a Nokia phone that contained the SIM for the drugs phone line they had been monitoring.
The bulk messages sent to contacts advertising drugs included suggestions of “good deals” to be had.
The recruitment for drivers promised a car and insurance to be provided to those who came forward with a driving licence.
An analysis of Brown’s bank account showed from May 2022 to February of this year, £154,540 had been deposited, all the while being out of work.
Brown handed himself into Elland Road Police Station six days after the raid. He was interviewed twice but refused to answer police questions.
Appearing in court this week via video link from HMP Leeds, where he was being held on remand, he admitted two counts of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, and possession of criminal property.
He has six previous convictions, including possession of drugs.
Little mitigation was offered on his behalf, but his barrister Sean Smith did say: “He has another side to him other than someone wholly engaged in criminality.”
The judge, Recorder Mark McKone KC said Brown ran a “structured” and “well-organised” operation.
He jailed him for 88 months, and set a Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) timetable in a bid to recoup any further ill-gotten gains.
Meanwhile, two other suspects have denied involvement in the drugs line and are due to stand trial in June 2027.