Drug dealer jailed for Colwyn Bay County Lines operation

Jake Waugh, 20, of Thornton Road, Bootle was responsible for operating County Line drug network supplying Class A drugs into Colwyn Bay from Merseyside. The line, which called itself ‘Scouse Joe’, between April 17 and May 13 this year, sent out 2,674 ‘bulk’ messages advertising Class A drugs for sale.

A sample of these messages included "Scouse joe best of both active in bay", "On with white scouse joe" and "Happy hour 4 for 30".

Waugh was identified by officers from the Serious and Organised Crime Unit and Merseyside Police’s Operation Toxic as part of an investigation into the supply of Class A drugs into North Wales.

He was stopped by police on April 29 at Colwyn Bay train station in possession of a phone and £300 in cash. Immediately after the stop, Waugh activated a new phone number. Both telephone numbers were being used to facilitate the supply of Crack Cocaine and Heroin.

Waugh would travel either by train or taxi almost daily into Colwyn Bay. CCTV and telecommunications enquiries further linked Waugh to the running of the ‘graft’ phone.

On May 21, Waugh was arrested at his home address in Liverpool and was charged later that same day.

He appeared at Bolton Crown Court today (Friday, October 11)  after pleading guilty to being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin.

He was jailed for four years and four months and is subjected to a criminal behaviour order upon his release, lasting five years. 

Police Constable Ashley Davies said: “County lines drug dealing is linked to the most serious violence, which causes misery and fear in our communities.

“I welcome the sentence handed to Waugh and I hope this case provides reassurance to the local community, demonstrating that we are committed to doing all we can to tackle drug-related crime in North Wales."

Anyone with information about drugs in their community can contact Crimestoppers anonymously via 0800 555 111.