[A] man has been sentenced to five years in prison for a drugs offence after being arrested during a covert BTP operation.
Denton Black, aged 46, of no fixed abode in Manchester, was found guilty of one count of possession with intent to supply a controlled drug of Class A – heroin.
He was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court on 3 August to five years’ imprisonment.
On 12 August last year, BTP officers were conducting a covert surveillance operation at Davenport railway station car park in Stockport.
They saw Black drive into the car park, have a brief meeting with a man and then drive off.
They followed him and saw him stop a further two times to briefly speak to different people at the side of the road.
Officers stopped the car in Cheadle Hulme and upon searching it they found a ball of drugs and a mobile phone in the foot well. These items were promptly seized by Det Con Richard King.
A subsequent search of Black’s house found £200 in cash which was seized and other items including mobile phones which were recovered for forensic examination.
Black was charged on 28 October last year and has now been sentenced.
Investigating officer, Det Sgt Mark Haviland, said: “Black denied dealing drugs and said he knew nothing about the drugs and phone in the foot well of his car.
“Unfortunately for him I had the mobile phone examined and it had received and dialled calls during the time police followed the vehicle, when only he was in the car.
“This is a great result and a good example of proactive policing. The devastating effect of drugs like heroin are difficult to stop but every little helps.”
