drugs Archives - Page 4 of 10

Bulgarian martial arts experts jailed for dealing cocaine in Harrogate

Two Bulgarian martial arts experts have been jailed for peddling cocaine in Harrogate after delving into the UK drug market within a week of arriving in the country.

Emilov Andonov, an expert in the Russian combat sport sambo, and his sidekick Stanislav Stefanov, a professional judo trainer, were stopped by police in the Asda car park where officers suspected a drug deal was taking place, York Crown Court heard.

Prosecutor Rachael Landin said Stefanov, a part-time bouncer in his home country, had been driving an Audi, and Andonov was in a Toyota. Police suspected something was amiss when one of the men got into the other’s car.

Officers searched both vehicles and found 11 wraps of cocaine, worth £550, under the gear stick in the Audi.

They found a further 19 wraps of high-purity cocaine under the covering of the gear stick in the Toyota. Those drugs were worth £950.

They also seized three mobile phones which showed that text messages had been pinging back and forth between the two men in the four days preceding their arrest on January 28.

It appeared that Andonov and Stefanov, both national-level martial artists in their homeland, had been working under orders from people higher up the drug chain who provided them with “post codes and instructions” to deliver their illicit wares.

They were each charged with possessing a Class A drug with intent to supply but initially denied the offence, claiming they had “bought in bulk” for their own personal use.

However, they ultimately changed their pleas to guilty and appeared for sentence yesterday after being remanded in custody. They were assisted by a Bulgarian interpreter.

Just arrived in England

Defence barrister Matthew Harding, for Andonov, said both men, of no fixed address, had only been in the country for a week before they got involved in the drug trade.

He said they had been “sent up to the Yorkshire area” to deal cocaine by their drug overlords in London, adding:

“They are clearly delivering under (instruction).

“At times they don’t know where to go or what they are doing.”

He claimed when the two men arrived in the country on January 20, they had no intention of lurching into crime.

He said Andonov, 21, was a judo expert who studied sambo at the national academy in Sofia, the Bulgarian capital. Mr Harding added:

“He and his co-accused have competed in (national) competitions,”

“He will inevitably receive a sentence that means his deportation from this country is automatic.”

John Batchelor, for Stefanov, said his 21-year-old client was a professional judo trainer and part-time doorman who had studied at the same sports school as Andonov. The barrister added:

“He’s competed at national level and they’ve known each other from school.”

He said the two men arrived in London initially where they were “offered an opportunity” to deal drugs in Yorkshire.

He added Stefanov would go back to judo training and study upon his inevitable deportation to Bulgaria.

Judge Sean Morris told the defendants:

“Within days of arriving in this country you were breaking the law in the most serious way.

“You were being directed where to sell drugs and that meant you were putting the citizens of this country at risk for your own greed.

“I recommend, on the completion of your sentence, (that) you are immediately deported back to Bulgaria.”

Each man was jailed for two years and three months.

Harrogate cocaine dealer jailed for two years

A drug dealer has been jailed for two years and eight months after being caught by police in Harrogate.

Alex Horsfield, 26, was spotted by North Yorkshire Police’s county lines officers on Roberts Crescent off Skipton Road in his Vauxhall Astra on 11.50am on May 11 this year.

Horsfield, who is from Keighley, was detained for a Section 23 Misuse of Drugs Act search over suspicions that he was part of a county lines drug supply operation.

Officers found two separate packages in his clothing, both containing multiple individual wraps of white and brown powder.

One was from within his hoodie pocket and one from within his shorts concealed under a pair of tracksuit bottoms.

Approximately 40 packages were individually wrapped containing both crack cocaine and heroin.

Horsfield was later charged with possession with intent to supply crack cocaine and heroin.

He claimed that the drugs were for his own personal use.

However, when he appeared at York Crown Court today (Tuesday 6 June 2023), he pleaded guilty to both offences and was sentenced immediately at his own request.

PC Michael Haydock, of operation expedite at North Yorkshire Police, said:

“Alex Horsfield is yet another example of someone who believe they can come across the border to North Yorkshire to commit drug crime.

“This has shown him, and others like him, that this will not be tolerated.

“North Yorkshire Police is committed to tackling drug-related crime, and having a dedicated Operation Expedite County Lines Team allows us to target those who pedal these illegal substances in a proactive and relentless manner.

“The fight against Class A drug supply will continue and anyone else doing so can expect to be dealt with robustly should they chance their arm it.”

25 years for drugs gang that targeted Harrogate

The leaders of an organised crime gang that flooded Harrogate with heroin and crack cocaine have been jailed for over 25 years.

The Bradford gang operated a county line drug dealing set-up known as the Pat Line through which they targeted vulnerable drug users in Harrogate.

They recruited Harrogate drug dealers Natalie Hullah, 33, previously of Harrogate, but now of St Edmund’s Street, Manchester, and Melissa Nicole Barnwell, 49, of Skipton Road, Harrogate, to sell the drugs locally in return for payment in heroin or crack cocaine.

The Pat Line was one of three lines shut down by North Yorkshire Police through a Drug Dealing Telecommunications Restriction Order in 2020.

Qasib Hussain, 25, of HMP Wetherby, previously of Idle Road, Bradford, dictated the movement of large quantities of class A drugs from West Yorkshire into North Yorkshire.

Qasib Hussain

This was done through the use of couriers who travelled from Bradford to Harrogate where the drugs were sold following a bulk text message sent from Qasib Hussain to users in Harrogate.

The Pat Line predominantly remained with Qasib Hussain in Bradford where he conducted his operation but on occasion it was passed to others to manage such as his brother, Aqib Ali Hussain, 24, of Killinghall Road in Bradford.

Aqib Ali Hussain

Aqib’s role included topping up the county line handsets and travelling to and from Harrogate to oversee the smooth selling of the drugs belonging to Qasib.

Hussain Khan, 25, of Greenway Road, Bradford, would step into Aqib’s role if Qasib was elsewhere.

The investigation was able to show that Aqib Ali Hussain had made multiple journeys to Harrogate, including 16 separate journeys over three consecutive days, each one lasting around half an hour before he returned to Bradford.

It showed the top trio were linked to the two phone numbers of the Pat Line through analysis of phone data messages, CCTV of them topping up the phones at local shops, and text messages between the group and their local dealers talking about how much they had made.

Hussain Khan

All five were charged with conspiracy to supply class A drugs and pleaded guilty in 2021. They were jailed for:

Qasib Hussain – nine years and nine months

Aqib Ali Hussain – six years and nine months. He was also sentenced for an additional two years and three months in relation to another investigation in West Yorkshire that targeted York, bringing the total term of imprisonment to nine years and two months (consecutive).

Hussain Khan – six years and three months

Melissa Barnwell – 16 months suspended for two years, six months’ drug rehabilitation requirement and complete 25 days of rehabilitation activity

Natalie Hullah – 21 months suspended for two years, and must complete 21 days of rehabilitation activity

‘They flooded Harrogate with drugs’

Detective Chief Inspector Fionna McEwan of North Yorkshire Police, said:

“Today’s outcome is a result of a lengthy and painstaking investigation. We are pleased to finally see the results at court.

“They flooded Harrogate with drugs, making money at the expense of local users, the majority of whom were vulnerable due to their socioeconomic background and mental health conditions. They have no conscience and no concern whatsoever for the people they are putting at risk of serious harm. They now have ample time to reflect on their life-choices and the damage it causes.

“Drug dealing and the violence and exploitation that accompanies county lines remains a foremost priority for North Yorkshire Police. We are committed to disrupting the offenders and taking those responsible off the streets.

“We urge anyone with information to continue to report information about drug dealing in their area. It’s vital in helping us piece together the bigger picture.

“No matter how insignificant you think the information is, please call us. And if you don’t want to speak to us, you can pass information anonymously to Crimestoppers.”

County lines

‘County lines’ is the term given to a form of organised crime in which drug dealers, usually from urban areas, such as West Yorkshire or Manchester, target smaller towns and cities. It takes its name from the mobile phone lines used by dealers to advertise drugs for sale. Violence and intimidation is prevalent within county lines.

A major concern for North Yorkshire Police is a practice known as cuckooing, which is where drug dealers take over the home of a vulnerable person and use it to store and sell drugs. They often use violence and intimidation to achieve this.

Members of the public provide invaluable information that helps shape our operational activity and we urge residents to look out for the signs of cuckooing in their neighbourhood and report any concerns they have.

Signs of “cuckooing” to look out for include:

Increased callers at a property
• Increase in cars pulling up for short periods of time
• Different accents at a property
• Increased antisocial behaviour at a property
• Not seeing the resident for long periods of time
• Unfamiliar vehicles at the property
• Windows covered or curtains closed for long periods
• Communal doors propped open

Drug dealer jailed for second time for supplying cocaine in Harrogate

A drug dealer has been jailed for supplying cocaine in Harrogate for the second time in the space of a year.

Robert Luke Varela, 27, was caught “bang at it” after police spotted him lurking suspiciously on Franklin Road, Harrogate.

Prosecutor Camille Morland told York Crown Court that Varela – who once bragged he would “need a counting machine” due to the vast profits he was making from his illicit trade – took his hands out of his pockets as police drove past and threw a bag of crack cocaine to the ground.

She said that when officers went to speak to him, they found the bag, containing 11 wraps of high-purity crack cocaine, dumped on the pavement.

They seized an iPhone from Varela on which WhatsApp messages showed he had been dealing crack cocaine in the three months preceding his arrest in February 2021.

Varela, formerly of Harrogate, was charged with possessing crack cocaine with intent to supply and ultimately admitted the offence. He appeared for sentence via video link today.

Ms Morland said that in February 2022, Varela was jailed for two years and three months for possessing heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply in 2019.

That sentence was imposed without Varela or the prosecuting authorities informing the then sentencing judge that he had been quizzed about the new matter a year earlier.

He was arrested for the 2019 offences after security staff and Harrogate Borough Council’s CCTV operators spotted Varela and his notorious sidekick Sirus Alexander, then aged 21 and from Idle, Bradford, engaged in a transaction in a red Audi with two “unknown men” behind an Early Learning Centre in Harrogate.

Alexander and Varela scuttled off to a nearby Travelodge where they stashed over 60 wraps of heroin and cocaine in their room.

Police turned up at the hotel, but the two men had vanished. A search of the room revealed a major cocaine and heroin stash worth about £2,575 – as well as a machete and digital weighing scales.

In the early hours of the following morning, police received another call from CCTV operators who spotted the pair going into Asda in the town centre.

Officers swooped on the supermarket and arrested the two men. Varela was found with a large hunting knife in his jacket and about £300 cash.

17 previous offences

Varela, who was living in Elland before being jailed, had 17 previous offences on his record including assault, possessing cocaine and carrying a blade. He was jailed for the latter offence in August 2021.

Defence barrister Lydia Pearce said Varela should have been sentenced for all the dealing offences in February last year.

She said that Varela was twice interviewed about the previous dealing matters in 2019 but carried on offending until his arrest in Harrogate in February 2021.

Judge Sean Morris, the Recorder of York, told Varela:

“This case has come back to bite you, but that’s your fault, as well as the prosecution’s fault.”

He said that if Varela had been facing this new offence alone, he would have been looking at a jail sentence measured in years, but that he should have been sentenced for all matters over a year ago, which meant he would receive a reduced sentence.

The judge said that the new offence was part and parcel of Varela’s overall offending and “showed you were a determined drug dealer bang at it”.

Varela, who was due to be released from his existing prison sentence in December this year, was handed a new 12-month jail sentence which will run consecutively and extend his period behind bars by a further six months.

Guilty plea ends trial into alleged Harrogate cocaine racket

The trial of three men allegedly involved in a cocaine-and-cannabis racket potentially worth millions has ended prematurely after one entered guilty pleas to conspiracy and two others were acquitted.

Kole Lleshi, 54, of Hargrove Road, Harrogate, Allaman Tatariku, 25, from Hampshire, and Gavin Woodley, 44, of Ashfield Road, Harrogate, were on trial for their alleged part in the lucrative narcotics conspiracy run by an Albanian organised-crime group.

The trial began at Leeds Crown Court on Monday when the prosecution told the jury how “kilo blocks” of cannabis and cocaine were being transported between London and Harrogate where they were sold on the street.

However, on the second day of the trial, Kole Lleshi and Woodley, who both admitted involvement in the supply of Class A and B drugs but denied being part of the wider conspiracy, were acquitted of the more serious charge after the prosecution decided to offer no evidence against them.

Tatariku, of Penhale Road, Portsmouth, ultimately admitted two counts of conspiring to supply Class A and B drugs and will be sentenced on a date to be fixed.

The gang’s ringleader, former Harrogate restaurant worker Ermal Biba, 38, is also due to be sentenced after already admitting his part in the mega-money drug plot, along with Kladji Lleshi, 23, of Kinloss Court, London, and Adam Sarkowski, 41, formerly of Wedderburn Close, Harrogate.

Dritan Lleshaj, 53, formerly of Spring Mount, Harrogate, had already been jailed and deported for possession with intent to supply cocaine and cannabis.

Biba, of Trafalgar Court, Harrogate, admitted conspiring to supply cocaine and cannabis between June 2019 and May 2022.

Prosecutor Katherine Robinson said the conspirators, mostly Albanian nationals, were also involved in a £1.5 million cannabis farm in Rochdale which was connected to the Harrogate operation.

Biba was the lynchpin between two distinct conspiracies in which, after his first foot soldiers were arrested, he recruited others, incliuding Kladji Lleshi, Tatariku, Woodley and Sarkowski.

Biba was released under investigation following his initial arrest in May 2020 for the first conspiracy, which involved Kole Lleshi and Dritan Lleshaj, but continued operating “dealer lines” in Harrogate run by an “organised-crime group”.

Kole Lleshi admitted his part in the drug operation by transporting a kilo of cocaine from London to Harrogate in September 2019.

However, he denied being involved in the wider conspiracy.

Harrogate ‘drug run’

In September 2019, Biba arranged a “drug run” which involved Kole Lleshi driving to London and bringing back Class A drugs to Harrogate.

Biba was in contact with an unknown man in London from whom Lleshi was ostensibly to collect the drugs. A few weeks later, Biba sent Kole Lleshi a text message saying: “We go tomorrow.”

The following day, Lleshi set off for London again in a Kia vehicle, ostensibly for a drug pick-up, and returned to Yorkshire where he was stopped by police on the A1 near Doncaster. During a search of his car, officers found a kilo block of high-purity cocaine in a plastic bag. The drugs had a “wholesale” value of £25,000.

The following day, Lleshaj was arrested after meeting Biba in a Harrogate restaurant. Lleshaj was found with £419 in cash and five wraps of cocaine.

He told police he was homeless, but they found the keys to his house in Spring Mount and searched it. They found “various quantities” of cocaine and about £2,000 cash.

Woodley played the role of “facilitator” by allowing the gang to supply drugs from his rented house in Ashfield Road, where they found 264g of high-purity cocaine and two large “vacuum packages” of cannabis worth up to £11,000.

Biba, Lleshaj, Tatariku and Kladji Leshi were said to be regular visitors to this property where police also found “debt lists”, cash, digital weighing scales and hydroponic equipment.

Woodley was subsequently arrested at his then home in Fairfax Avenue, Harrogate, where police found a small amount of cocaine and cannabis and a torch-like stun gun.

Ms Robinson said Greater Manchester Police raided an industrial unit in Rochdale in March last year when they arrested two Albanian men after they found a large cannabis grow on an “industrial” scale.

Those two men admitted cultivating cannabis at the factory which had a harvest of 144 kilos with an estimated “street value” of £1.5 million.

Ms Robinson said:

“(Police) surveillance had been carried out and members of the organised crime group in Harrogate regularly visited this industrial estate in Rochdale.

“ANPR (cameras) showed Mr Biba’s vehicle travelling in that direction and Kladji Lleshi and Allaman Tatariku’s phones showed they travelled down the M62 from Harrogate to Rochdale.”

Biba, Kladji Lleshi and Sarkowski all admitted their part in that cannabis conspiracy.

Kole Lleshi admitted possessing cocaine with intent to supply and had already served a 40-month prison sentence for that, but denied having knowledge of the wider conspiracy, claiming he was “simply on an errand” to collect something from London in September 2019 but that he didn’t know what that was.

Woodley, who was said to have worked in Harrogate restaurants with Biba, admitted possessing a prohibited weapon, namely the stun gun, and allowing his premises to be used for the supply of drugs, but was acquitted of all other charges including conspiracy in the wider drug plot.

He was given a 23-week suspended prison sentence.

Biba, Sarkowski, Kladji Lleshi and now Tatariku will be sentenced at a later date.

Albanian crime group ran huge cocaine racket in Harrogate, court hears

An Albanian organised crime group ran a cocaine and cannabis racket in Harrogate potentially worth millions, a court heard.

The mega-money conspiracy involved “kilo blocks” of cocaine and cannabis being transported between London and Harrogate where the drugs were sold on the street, a jury at Leeds Crown Court was told yesterday.

Prosecutor Katherine Robinson said the conspirators, mostly Albanian nationals, were also thought to be involved in a £1.5 million cannabis farm in Rochdale which was connected to the Harrogate operation.

Yesterday, Kole Lleshi, 54, of Hargrove Road, Harrogate, Gavin Woodley, 44, of Ashfield Road, Harrogate and Allaman Tatariku, 25, of Penhale Road, Portsmouth appeared for the first day of their trial after they each denied playing a part in the wider conspiracy.

The gang’s ringleader, former Harrogate restaurant worker Ermal Biba, 38, had already admitted his part in the lucrative drug plot, along with Kladji Lleshi, 23, of Kinloss Court, London, Dritan Lleshaj, 53, formerly of Spring Mount, Harrogate, and Adam Sarkowski, 41, formerly of Wedderburn Close, Harrogate.

Biba, of Trafalgar Court, Harrogate, admitted conspiring to supply cocaine and cannabis between June 2019 and May 2022.

Ms Robinson said Biba was the lynchpin between two distinct conspiracies in which, after his first foot soldiers were arrested, he recruited three others, namely Kladji Lleshi, Tatariku, Woodley and Sarkowski.

She said the first conspiracy involved Biba, Kole Lleshi and Dritan Lleshaj, who had also admitted, and been jailed for, possession with intent to supply cocaine and cannabis. Lleshaj was deported to his homeland.

‘Dealer lines’

Biba was released under investigation following his initial arrest in May 2020 for the first conspiracy but then recruited another group of conspirators and continued operating “dealer lines” in Harrogate run by an “organised-crime group”, added the prosecuting barrister.

Kole Lleshi was arrested and admitted his part in the drug operation by transporting a kilo of cocaine from London to Harrogate in September 2019. However, he denied being involved in the wider conspiracy.

Ms Robinson said police surveillance officers had been tracking Biba, Lleshaj and Kole Lleshi during the first conspiracy in 2019.

They recorded Biba and Lleshaj “meeting regularly” and were monitoring their whereabouts when, in September 2019, Biba arranged a “drug run” which involved Kole Lleshi driving to London and bringing back Class A drugs to Harrogate.

Biba was in contact with an unknown man in London from whom Lleshi was ostensibly to collect the drugs, added Ms Robinson.

A few weeks later, Biba sent Kole Lleshi a text message saying: “We go tomorrow.”

The following day, Lleshi set off for London again in a Kia vehicle, ostensibly for a drug pick-up, and returned to Yorkshire where he was stopped by police on the A1 near Doncaster. During a search of his car, officers found a kilo block of high-purity cocaine in a plastic bag wrapped in a sock. The drugs had a “wholesale” value of £25,000.

The following day, Lleshaj was arrested after meeting Biba in a Harrogate restaurant. Lleshaj was found with £419 in cash and five wraps of cocaine.

He told police he was homeless, but they found the keys to his house in Spring Mount and searched it. They found “various quantities” of cocaine and about £2,000 cash.

High-purity cocaine

She said Woodley played the role of “facilitator” in the conspiracy by allowing the gang to supply drugs from his rented house in Ashfield Road, where they found 264g of high-purity cocaine and two large “vacuum packages” of cannabis worth up to £11,000.

Biba, Lleshaj, Tatariku and Kladji Leshi were said to be regular visitors to this property where police also found “debt lists”, cash, digital weighing scales and hydroponic equipment for growing cannabis.

Woodley was subsequently arrested at his then home in Fairfax Avenue, Harrogate, where police found a small amount of cocaine and cannabis and a torch-like stun gun.

Those two men admitted cultivating cannabis at the factory which had an estimated harvest of 144 kilos with an estimated “street value” of £1.5 million. Ms Robinson added:

“(Police) surveillance had been carried out and members of the organised crime group in Harrogate regularly visited this industrial estate in Rochdale.

“ANPR (cameras) showed Mr Biba’s vehicle travelling in that direction and Kladji Lleshi and Allaman Tatariku’s phones showed they travelled down the M62 from Harrogate to Rochdale.”

Woodley’s red Transit van also made journeys to Rochdale, said Ms Robinson.

Biba, Kladji Lleshi and Sarkowski all admitted their part in that cannabis conspiracy. Tatariku said he was involved in the supply of cocaine and cannabis but that he was not involved in a conspiracy with other people.

Woodley said although he was the tenant at the Ashfield Road property, he “couldn’t remember” the name of the landlord and “knew nothing” about the drugs found there. He denied playing any part in drug supply but said he knew Biba, with whom he worked in Harrogate restaurants.

The trial continues.

Laughing gas discovery fuels fears for young people in Harrogate district

A dog walker has expressed concern after discovering 10 canisters of laughing gas dumped by the side of the road.

John Chadwick stumbled across the canisters on the rural Gravelly Hill Lane in Huby.

Nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, is the second most-used drug among UK 16- to 24-year-olds. It can induce euphoria and relaxation, as well as hallucinations.

The drug can lead to various health problems but is not currently illegal to possess. However, selling it to children is prohibited.

Mr Chadwick said this was the first time he’d seen the canisters and it “highlights what I believe is becoming an increasing health and behavioural issue predominately amongst younger people”.

He added:

“I’ve heard lots about it on phone-ins, I guess maybe I didn’t expect it in a rural environment. In that sense it was a bit of a shock – a bit like seeing a few old fridges dumped. A violation of our village.

“I am concerned that what could be seen as some harmless fun could escalate into something worse.

“Had somebody driven to this place to inhale the gas for fun and then driven off? In that case there is a danger to the perpetrator and others. Or was it just littering?”

The canisters were dumped by the side of a rural lane.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said:

“There are significant dangers associated with using nitrous oxide. Inhaling it can lead to unconsciousness and ultimately suffocation as the body is essentially starved of oxygen.

“There is also evidence to show that people with heart conditions can be at risk of higher harm and that inhalation can lead to anaemia or long-term nerve damage.

“We would ask parents to be vigilant for the signs that their children may be purchasing the substance online.

“Anyone who is found guilty of supplying nitrous oxide could face up to six months in prison or an unlimited fine.”

Harrogate crime hotspot gets £6,000 railings to prevent loitering

Railings have been installed on one of Harrogate’s worst streets for crime in a bid to prevent problems.

The railings, which cost £6,000, follow long-running concerns about anti-social behaviour on Bower Street.

Harrogate Borough Council and private owners of the properties affected each paid half of the sum.

North Yorkshire Police recently named Bower Street as one of Harrogate’s crime hotspots.

The street, on which Harrogate Homeless Project is based, often sees people loitering on the steps of the retail unit that was formerly occupied by donut shop Doe.

A Harrogate Borough Council press release this afternoon said “negotiations have taken longer than hoped” due to the land being privately owned.

The railings being installed today.

Councillor Richard Cooper, the Conservative leader of Harrogate Borough Council, said:

“All of us who live or work near this location know that it has been trouble for a long time. While the council has worked with the police on the issues, the land is privately owned and installing secure boundaries is the responsibility of the property owner.

“Nonetheless, the council and other partners recognise the impact that anti-social behaviour and criminal activity has on the quality of life of residents, businesses and the wider community.

“That is why we have agreed to help the property owners secure their boundaries and install these railings. I am grateful to the property owners for working with us on this and am pleased to say that said railings are now installed.

The council statement said it had been working with residents and partners to “tackle ongoing issues of anti-social behaviour in this area of Harrogate town centre”.

The measures regular police patrols and targeting individuals who cause harassment, alarm and distress, the release added. Now the railings have gone up.

Cllr Cooper added:

“We know that securing this area will not immediately solve the anti-social and criminal behaviour problem at this location. Long-term dedicated support is the only way to do that. And we must recognise that the people who congregate in these areas often have complex physical and mental health needs.

“We need to continue to support agencies and schemes like Harrogate Homeless Project and Harrogate Street Aid that provide help to people in need.”

Teen arrested on cocaine charge after car overturns in Ripon

A man has been arrested on suspicion of supplying Class A drugs after officers came across a crashed car in Ripon.

Shortly after 3pm yesterday, North Yorkshire Police officers on patrol near Lark Lane in Ripon located a red VW Golf car that had been involved in a collision and was on its roof.

A police statement today said:

“One of the occupants made off from the scene. Following a search of the area, officers located a large quantity of suspected cannabis and cocaine.

“The other occupant, a 19-year-old local man, was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply a Class A drug. He has since been released on bail while enquiries continue.”

Anyone with any information about the incident is asked to contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, quoting reference number 12230015627.

Police closed the road while the incident took place.

Harrogate’s former Kimberley Hotel being used for drugs and crime, say police

A Harrogate police inspector has expressed concerns that the site of the former Kimberley Hotel is being used for drugs and crime.

The 70-bedroom hotel on King’s Road closed in December 2020 after more than 50 years.

Insp. Ed Rogerson, who works for North Yorkshire Police’s Harrogate outer area, said the former hotel had become a “problem area” when he gave an overview of local policing to Harrogate Borough Council’s overview and scrutiny committee this week.

He said the hotel was awaiting redevelopment, adding:

“This empty building has been a problem area. Although it’s boarded up people keep breaking in.

“It’s primarily young people but it’s also being used by adults. People have used the location for taking drugs.

“It’s a concern that these vulnerable people are mixing with adults in that location where there’s crime and anti-social behaviour.”

Insp. Rogerson added officers were working with other organisations, including environmental health, “to ensure the owner and developer of that premises secure it properly”. He added:

“They’ve been reminded that if it doesn’t remain secure then enforcement action can be taken against them”.

The Kimberley Hotel in 2020.

The Kimberley Hotel opened in the 1960s when five townhouses dating back to the turn of the 20th century were converted.

It benefitted from the opening of what was then called the Harrogate Conference Centre in 1982, which is a short walk away.

Just arrived in England

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‘They flooded Harrogate with drugs’

County lines

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17 previous offences

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Harrogate ‘drug run’

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‘Dealer lines’

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High-purity cocaine

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