North Shields coronavirus lockdown cocaine dealers jailed

Christopher Riley and Darren Johnson admitted conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs

Two men who sold cocaine with a street value of half a million pounds during a Covid-19 lockdown have been jailed.

Christopher Riley, 35, and his right-hand man Darren Johnson, 48, sold about 15kg of the Class A drug in April and May 2020, Northumbria Police said,

Riley was arrested at Newcastle Airport upon arrival from Dubai after officers infiltrated his encrypted messages.

He was jailed for 12-and-a-half years and Johnson for nine years six months after they admitted drugs offences.

A police spokesman said Riley came to the force's attention as part of an international operation targeting organised crime.

'Operated in shadows'

The two North Shields men, who were also selling large amounts of cannabis, were arrested in May 2022 with police seizing cryptocurrency passwords, £3,270 in cash and a knuckleduster from Riley's home.

Johnson, who police described as Riley's "trusted lieutenant", had cannabis worth £16,800 at his home, a knuckleduster and a detailed debtors list.

Both Riley, of Washington Terrace, and Johnson, of Frosterley Place, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs when they appeared at Newcastle Crown Court.

Det Ch Insp Marc Michael said: "Riley has made a comfortable living and significant sums of cash by instructing others, like Johnson, to get their hands dirty by selling harmful, addictive drugs to street dealers, which he acquired on a large scale.

"Believing he was above the law, he operated in the shadows using encrypted devices to hide his offending - but however clever these offenders think they are, the law will always catch up with them."