SALFORD 'KITKAT' DRUG DEALER TAKING A BREAK BEHIND BARS FOLLOWING COUNTY LINES INVESTIGATION

A man who dealt drugs under a brand he called 'KitKat' is now behind bars after being sentenced to three years imprisonment.

Ethan Rouse (01/02/2001), of Madams Wood Road, Salford, was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court on Thursday, 3 August 2023 for being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin.

Officers from Greater Manchester Police's county lines team investigated the 'KitKat' drugs for several weeks, with extensive phone work analysis revealing that drug users in the Cheshire area were receiving broadcast messages.

Further analysis of the messages sent revealed that crack cocaine and heroin were being offered for sale – with often twice-daily messages to dozens of people.

The phone was seen to travel regularly back and forth between Salford and Cheshire, with officers able to uncover the address in which the phone was most often activated.

On 7 June 2023, officers executed a warrant in Little Hulton, resulting in the arrest of Rouse. £2,000 in cash was subsequently seized.

GMP's County Lines Team worked closely with Cheshire Police, liaising regularly and ensuring a thorough and meticulous investigation.

Work from the Operation Arctic Team in Salford also saw Rouse sentenced for possession with the intent to supply class A drugs – in which he received 31 months to run concurrently for those offences.

PC Catherine Greenwood, from Greater Manchester Police's county lines team, said: 

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"Rouse was involved in criminality which ruins lives and this is a fantastic result for our team. We worked closely with Cheshire Police throughout the investigation, utilising phone-work and other evidence to strengthen this case and secure a conviction.

"We continue to work to clamp down on county lines drug dealing, and we want to send a clear message to those involved that we will never tolerate what they do. If you are involved, you can expect a knock at your door."

"If anyone in Greater Manchester has any information about drug dealing, I would urge them to get in touch with us. You can do this by calling 101, or contacting Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111."

 

DCI Amber Hodson, from the Cheshire Constabulary, said: 

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"As an organisation we're always keen to work with other forces to tackle crime, especially serious and organised crime such as county lines, because of the damage it does to our communities.

"It is great to see another fine example of our teamwork with neighbouring forces to put criminals behind bars and deny them the opportunity to sell drugs within our communities."