Man found with £700 cash in underwear is jailed for dealing heroin on the streets of Harrogate

A man found by police with £700 of cash in his underwear has been jailed for supplying heroin on the streets of Harrogate as the crackdown on County Lines drug dealing continues across North Yorkshire.
Andrew Paul Christian Brown, 46, was arrested in the Montpellier Hill area of Harrogate on September 17, last year by officers from North Yorkshire Police’s Operation Expedite team.Andrew Paul Christian Brown, 46, was arrested in the Montpellier Hill area of Harrogate on September 17, last year by officers from North Yorkshire Police’s Operation Expedite team.
Andrew Paul Christian Brown, 46, was arrested in the Montpellier Hill area of Harrogate on September 17, last year by officers from North Yorkshire Police’s Operation Expedite team.

Andrew Paul Christian Brown, 46, was arrested in the Montpellier Hill area of Harrogate on September 17, last year by officers from North Yorkshire Police’s Operation Expedite team.

He was charged with supplying heroin on dates in 2019 and 2020, as well as possessing criminal property – the money found in his underpants.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Brown pleaded guilty to supplying the class A drug and was jailed for five years and seven months at York Crown Court on Monday.

Detective Constable Tom Barker, of North Yorkshire Police, said: “Brown’s conviction and prison sentence should send a very clear message to anyone who is involved in county lines drug dealing in our area: North Yorkshire Police will target you and make it extremely difficult for you carry out your criminal activity.

“Harrogate is one of the safest places in the country and officers are working hard to keep it that way. We urge anyone who has any information about drug dealing to contact the police.

“Tackling County Lines is a priority for North Yorkshire Police, and our Expedite teams work proactively to prevent and detect drug dealing and associated offences. They also safeguard and protect those who are vulnerable and targeted by organised crime networks.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

County Lines is a form of organised crime in which drug dealers from urban areas exploit victims, forcing them to deal drugs in smaller towns.

It takes its name from the mobile phones used by dealers to communicate between towns, take orders and conduct their “business”.