West Yorkshire ‘County Lines’ drug dealer snared by police in Scarborough

Dakari Brown, 22, of Bulay Road, Huddersfield, appeared at Leeds Crown Court on July 26 after pleading guilty to being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin between Huddersfield and Scarborough.

He was sentenced to five years and nine months in jail.

In February 2023, it was identified that a drugs line calling themselves the ‘Mitch’ line was active in Scarborough offering heroin and crack cocaine for sale daily by sending bulk messages to local drug users.

It was established the ‘Mitch’ deal line was being held in Huddersfield and was directing individuals who had embedded themselves in the town with local class A drug users, a tactic known as cuckooing.

Several arrests were made during this period of different individuals who could be linked to contact and direction from the ‘Mitch’ line.

The Expedite Team were able to identify Brown as the individual running the line from Huddersfield through top-ups, co-location of his personal phone, and the deal line and trips made to Scarborough.

In conjunction with West Yorkshire Police, Brown was arrested in March at his home address where evidence was recovered linking him to the deal phone and the ‘Mitch’ line.

Detective Constable Darrel Temple, of the Expedite Team based at Scarborough, said: “Class A drugs wreck lives and wreck communities.

"That’s why we’re relentless in our pursuit of offenders such as Dakari Brown who think they can operate with impunity across policing borders and into our neighbourhoods.

“As we have repeatedly demonstrated, we’re watching their every move and waiting for the right time to pounce.

“Through this proactive policing approach, we’re taking the fight to drug dealers and doing all we can to drive drug-related crime out of our area.”

Anyone with any information about suspected drug-related crime is urged to make a report via the North Yorkshire Police website or by calling 101, select option 1, and speak to the Force Control Room

Those who prefer to remain anonymous, should call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or make a report online at crimestoppers-uk.org.