Dealer jailed after drugs found at house during proactive police operation

A drug dealer is back behind bars after a proactive policing operation uncovered thousands of pounds worth of drugs when his home was raided.

As part of Operation Impact in North Tyneside in October last year, officers executed a warrant at Scott Ridley’s address on Brookland Terrace in North Shields.

Although Ridley wasn’t home at the time, teams found more than 1,000 MDMA lollies in different boxes as well as quantities of heroin, cocaine, cannabis and more than £9,000 in cash.

After he was later arrested, Ridley, 35, then pleaded guilty to charges of possessing heroin, MDMA and cannabis with intent to supply and possessing cocaine.

At Newcastle Crown Court on Friday (February 27) he was jailed for 49 months for the offences. Ridley now also faces proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Following Ridley’s sentencing, Detective Inspector Jonathan May, of Northumbria Police’s North Tyneside Area Command, said: “This is an excellent result for us and it demonstrates the value of proactive policing operations such as Operation Impact in disrupting drug supply in our communities.

“Acting on intelligence we’d gathered, our officers carried out a planned strike on Ridley’s address back in October, finding a significant amount of illegal drugs and cash in the process.

“Drugs have absolutely no place in our communities and we will continue to do everything we can to root out the dealing of illicit substances and bring those responsible to justice.”

Det Insp May added: “Ridley was previously jailed for 112 months in 2022 for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and clearly he has not learned the error of his ways with this recent offending.

“We are pleased that the courts have seen fit to impose another significant custodial sentence upon him and will now have plenty of time to reflect upon his actions.

“Thank you to the public for your continued support in our efforts to tackle drug supply in North Tyneside and please remember if you do have information on suspected criminality, let us know so that we can build on our existing intelligence picture and take the appropriate action.”

Anyone wanting to report suspicious activity can send Northumbria Police a direct message on social media or use the live chat and report forms on the Force’s website.

For those unable to make contact via those ways, call 101.