Officers from Project Medusa have today (Thursday, 10 June) welcomed the sentencing of a man and woman for being concerned in the offer to supply Class A drugs, after they unwittingly contacted a police officer to advertise the sale of drugs.
Christopher Jopson, 29 years of Brooke Close, Southport was sentenced to three years and seven months imprisonment and Lucy McTaggart, 37 years of Tennyson Avenue, Preston received a two-year sentence suspended for two years.
The pair were arrested by the force’s Matrix Vehicle Enforcement team (MVET), in a pre-planned stop as they travelled from Preston to Southport in March of this year.
Detective Inspector Gary Stratton said: “The stop of this car and the subsequent arrest and charge of these two, was part of pre-planned operation by Project Medusa.
“The operation was set up after the pair unknowingly began to contact a police officer advertising the sale of both crack cocaine and heroin, on a work number that had been given for an unrelated matter.
“Today’s sentence shows we will pursue all lines of enquiry when tackling County Lines however unconventional.”
He added: “We are committed to cutting these County Lines dead – Project Medusa has cut 204 lines to date and we will continue to target those involved in controlling these lines and hitting the criminals involved hard.
“If you have any information about drug dealing in your area or are concerned about somebody who may be involved in County Lines, contact us, DM @MerPolCC or contact @CrimestoppersUK anonymously on 0800 555 111.”
