A drug dealer from Bolton has been jailed for 10 years after making a frank admission to police who raided his home, telling them bluntly where cocaine, cannabis and cash were stashed in his bedroom.
Police raid and admission
Police executed a warrant at Christopher Thornton's home in Bolton in June 2022. When officers asked if there were any illegal drugs or large amounts of money inside, he replied: "Yes, upstairs in my room."
Officers seized three snap bags of cocaine; bags of cannabis; a large number of snap bags; a debtor's list with names and phone numbers; digital scales; three mobile phones; an iPad; and more than £48,000 in cash.
Guilty plea and sentencing
Thornton, of Rowsley Avenue, Bolton, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine, being concerned in the supply of cannabis and possession of criminal property. He was jailed for 10 years at a court hearing on August 13.
A spokesperson for the North West Regional Crime Unit said: "On 10 June 2022, officers from the NWROCU with support from Bolton Police Operation Challenger Team executed a warrant at Thornton's home address.
"When officers asked Thornton if there were any illegal drugs or large amounts of monies in the address, Thornton replied with 'yes, upstairs in my room'. Officers seized a large amount of evidence linked to supply of drugs."
Evidence and impact
Thornton's mobile device was digitally examined. Looking through his messages and his debtor list, officers evidenced that Thornton had been supplying over 10kg of cocaine over a period of time.
Detective Inspector Brian Morley said: "The evidence against Thornton was overwhelming. When officers searched his property, he pointed out the locations where drugs and cash were hidden. We would like to thank Greater Manchester Police for their support throughout this investigation.
"Illegal drugs cause significant harm to our communities, and we remain committed to bringing those involved in criminality to justice. We will continue to target offenders who seek to inflict misery across the North West."
