Drug dealer hid his phone from police but messages caught him out

A man has been jailed after his contact with the Department for Work and Pensions proved "damning". Zach Parry, 26, from Northwich, appeared at Chester Crown Court yesterday (Wednesday, September 18) where he was sentenced to 27 months in prison.

Parry pleaded guilty to dealing class A drugs (crack cocaine and cocaine) in Northwich on behalf of a Merseyside based drugs gang. The court heard how Cheshire Police officers from Northwich Proactive CID became aware of a mobile phone number that was being used to sell illegal drugs in the Northwich area between June and July 2023.

Following enquiries, officers were able to identify Parry as the owner of the phone due to previous police incidents. Records from the DWP also showed that Parry was using the phone at the time it was being used to sell illegal drugs.

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Parry handed himself in to officers on Friday, December 3. However, he arrived without the mobile phone and refused to tell officers where the phone was. Despite his refusal, officers were able to use the messages to charge Parry with drug offences.

Following his sentencing, detective sergeant John Lyons, of Northwich proactive CID, said: “Parry thought that by refusing to tell officers where his phone was, we would not be able to prove that he was the person dealing the drugs.

“However, the messages we were able to recover were damning, and left him with no option but to plead guilty to the charges against him.

“His conviction is testament to the determination of all the officers involved in the investigation, helping to ensure that he was held accountable for his actions.

“The sentence handed to Parry is very much welcomed following the conclusion of the investigation, and I hope that it will serve as a strong warning to other individuals who intend to supply illegal substances into the communities of Cheshire.”