Drug dealer jailed after £1.5m cocaine and ketamine haul found in a safe in the loft of his Staffordshire home
Around £1.5 million worth of cocaine and ketamine were discovered in a Staffordshire loft.
A drug dealer has been jailed for six years after Staffordshire Police officers discovered a huge £1.5m haul of drugs in his loft.
Shane Shorthouse, 29 and of Stonydelph, Tamworth, was arrested in December last year when he was stopped driving a car in Ventura Park Road. Upon searching him, officers discovered a snap bag of cocaine.
Later searches of his house revealed a safe in the loft. It was taken to a police station and later opened, leading to the discovery of 'giant bricks' of cocaine. The bricks were valued at around £402,000.
Officers also discovered bags of ketamine, which were estimated to be worth between £642,000 and £1,124,00.
The haul was the biggest seizure of ketamine that the force had ever seen in Staffordshire.
On further investigation, investigators found evidence that Shorthouse was running the 'Shane' drugs line, supplying cocaine and ketamine to local communities.
After being charged with the offences, Shorthouse was taken to court and pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply a controlled drug of class B (ketamine), possession with intent to supply a controlled drug of class A (cocaine), and being concerned in the supply of cocaine.
He was jailed for six years at Stafford Crown Court on Tuesday (August 12).
A Staffordshire Police spokesperson said: "Drug lines like this are being targeted proactively every single day in Staffordshire as we continue to act robustly against those involved in drug dealing, criminal exploitation and county lines activity.
"In the last year, we have arrested more than 350 suspects, seized an estimated £400,000 worth of drugs and recovered 40 weapons."
