A 20-year-old man was slammed with a three-year prison sentence after cops found him stashing a haul of Class A drugs in a Wellingborough hotel room.

D’Reece Taylor, from Quaker Way, Moulton, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply heroin and crack cocaine, plus possession of a Class B drug. The sentence was handed down at Northampton Crown Court last month (September 5).

County Lines Operation Busted

Taylor’s arrest came after the Wellingborough Neighbourhood Policing Team detained a missing teenage boy from the West Midlands, believed to be used as a drug runner. An investigation into this vulnerable lad’s exploitation led officers straight to Taylor’s hotel room.

Caught trying to chuck items out of the window, Taylor was swiftly nabbed. Officers seized both Class A and B drugs, drug-dealing kit, £400 in cash, and several mobile phones linking him to a county lines network.

Justice Served and Community Protected

Besides drug charges, Taylor faced a separate allegation of facilitating another’s travel for exploitation, but the court left that on file after a not guilty plea.

At sentencing, Taylor was ordered to pay £156 on release and the seized drugs, phones, and paraphernalia were destroyed. The court also redirected the cash to the Northamptonshire Community Fund to aid local charities.

Detective Constable Vicky Wiley said: “Thanks to our neighbourhood officers, a vulnerable missing person was protected and a county line was shut down. We know drug harm is a huge worry locally, and this case shows we’re cracking down hard.”

“This conviction should warn anyone thinking of setting up shop in Northamptonshire — we will catch you.”