A cocaine kingpin who flaunted luxury holidays, designer clothes and gold jewellery was caught after making the blunder of using his drugs phone to call police. Andrew Savage, 33, from Stockton, operated a cocaine supply network which investigators estimated sold more than £ 1 million worth of drugs over six years. Savage, who has a large tattoo of notorious Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, attempted to conceal his identity while running the operation under the name “Machete”. But his criminal enterprise unravelled after detectives discovered the telephone number being used to control the drugs line had previously been used by Savage himself to report a burglary. Savage was jailed for 12 years at Teesside Crown Court on September 4 after admitting being concerned in the supply of cocaine, possession with intent to supply cocaine and possession of criminal property. The court heard Savage used the proceeds of his offending to fund an extravagant lifestyle, travelling to destinations including the Bahamas, Cuba, Colombia, Thailand and Brazil. He also displayed expensive cars, jewellery and holidays on social media. In one post captioned “His and Hers”, Savage’s young daughter was pictured in a children’s Lamborghini alongside a black Lamborghini Urus – a luxury SUV costing around £150,000. His operation began to unravel on November 19, 2025, when Cleveland Police stopped a man acting suspiciously in Middlesbrough. Officers found wraps of cocaine and two mobile phones. Messages recovered from the devices indicated the man was selling drugs for someone using the name “Machete”. Investigators established that “Machete” was arranging supplies of cocaine, organising restocks and providing vehicles for dealers to make deliveries. Detectives then made the discovery that ultimately linked the drugs line directly to Savage. The telephone number used by “Machete” had also been used in 2024 to report a burglary – with Savage identified as the caller. Further enquiries with the mobile phone provider revealed the handset and number were registered to him. Police became increasingly suspicious when officers attended Savage’s home over an unrelated matter in December 2025 and noticed him wearing an expensive watch, necklace and ring. Savage was eventually arrested at a property in March following an investigation by Cleveland Police’s Dedicated Drugs Unit. A search uncovered cocaine with an estimated street value of £5,000 and around £20,000 in cash. Investigators also established that Savage had received more than £1.8million in third-party payments while profiting from his criminal operation. Detective Constable Maloney, from the Dedicated Drugs Unit, said: “Savage operated his criminal network under the radar by using a pseudonym. “During this time, he was found to have profited significantly from the supply of cocaine, earning more than a million pounds through expensive holidays, cars and jewellery. “Following the arrest of another individual, a thorough investigation took place to identify who ‘Machete’ was and the level he was operating in through the recruitment of drug dealers in Cleveland. “This led us to Savage and seizing cocaine and cash within his property. “The sentence handed to Savage is a testament to his criminality and how he exploited others to do his dirty work while he enjoyed the rewards. “Thankfully, it has all come crashing down on him, and he is now spending time behind bars.”
Originally published by UKNIP.
