Police Find High Value Drugs and Cash After Stopping Convoy of Cars

Two men got caught with drugs. Police stopped their car and van. The vehicles were driving together. Inside, police found cocaine and cannabis. They also found a machine for counting cash. Phone messages revealed the drug sales. The messages discussed “wholesale” deals. One message advertised “Rolls Royce quality” cannabis. It came in boxes, the court heard.

Paul Kershaw, 47, admitted drug dealing and Andrew Turton, 43, also admitted crimes. Turton admitted dealing cannabis and possessing cocaine. This happened on March 31, 2022.

The police stopped Turton in his Mercedes car near Goole around 5:50 pm. They found a small amount of white powder in Turton’s car. Police stopped a black Mercedes van too. It was driving with Turton’s car. Kershaw tried to swallow a plastic wrap when police arrived, but officers then arrested him.

Later, police searched Kershaw’s home in York. They discovered a dealer list and six mobile phones. The phones contained drug dealing messages that showed “wholesale” drug sales. They described cannabis as “Rolls Royce quality” in boxes. The phones showed business-like record keeping. There was a contacts list on the phones and messages offered “reloads” to street dealers. They sold cannabis in large deals.

The prosecutor said Kershaw had a management role and they planned to discuss crime proceeds later. Kershaw’s lawyer mentioned the court case delays. She said examining phone records took time and also talked about Kershaw’s troubled childhood, as his father was jailed for attempted murder.

Kershaw had a business securing military bases, but war in Ukraine stopped the funding. He then worked on a chicken farm. People described him as hard-working and remorseful. Turton’s lawyer asked for a community order, following a pre-sentence report.

The judge talked about the value of the deals. Street deals were worth £3,000 to £6,000 each, and cannabis sold for £4,000 per kilo. He said drug dealing ruins lives. The judge said Class A drug dealers face prison time. He told Kershaw about his financial troubles, stating that Kershaw’s troubles led him down this path, and noted different roles for the two men in dealing process.

Kershaw was jailed for three years and eight months. Turton received a suspended 14-month sentence. He also must do 180 hours of unpaid work.