Drug dealer who supplied Amber Valley with heroin and cocaine jailed

Resident,

A drug dealer who supplied heroin and cocaine in part of Derbyshire has been jailed for more than three years.

Ashton Fayers was identified by officers as the principal member of a county line drug dealing operation to supply the Amber Valley with illegal Class A substances.

It is believed the criminal enterprise was involved in taking over the homes of vulnerable adults for the purposes of selling drugs – a criminal practice known as ‘cuckooing’.

Officers identified two phone numbers which were being used to advertise the sale of drugs to users.

Fayers was the holder of the line and directed an associate to the relevant areas to deal the cocaine and heroin to those who requested it.

But his criminal enterprise was brought down by Derbyshire Constabulary’s Criminal Exploitation Team as part of Operation Ellingham.

Analysis of the phone and CCTV footage linked Fayers to the drugs line.

He gave a no comment police interview but was charged with being concerned in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine in Derbyshire between Saturday 1 March and Tuesday 18 March last year.

In addition, North Yorkshire Police ran an investigation into Fayers’ drug dealing activities in their county.

He was charged with supplying heroin and crack cocaine in Selby between Monday 15 April and Tuesday 3 December 2024.

The 22-year-old, of no fixed address, admitted all charges.

He was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison during a hearing at Derby Crown Court on Monday 12 January.

Detective Inspector Chris Ford, who leads the Criminal Exploitation Team, said: “As the principal member of the drug dealing line, Fayers caused misery to the drug users, those whom he exploited for his own criminal gain and brought disruption to the communities in which he operated.

“I would like to thank the team for their hard work and dedication in bringing Fayers to justice and taking him off our streets.”

County lines is the name given to drug dealing where organised criminal groups (OCGs) use phone lines to move and supply drugs, usually from cities into smaller towns and rural areas.

For more information about how to spot the signs of county lines drug dealing, and how to report incidents to us, please visit:- County lines | Derbyshire Constabulary

For information about how to spot the signs of cuckooing please visit:- Cuckooing | Derbyshire Constabulary 

For emergencies call 999.

Non-emergency crimes can be reported to us using the methods below:-

You can also anonymously contact the independent charity CrimeStoppers, on 0800 555 111, or by visiting the CrimeStoppers website.