£51k haul lands drug dealer in jail

Specialist drug squad officers from Essex Police’s West Operation Raptor team raided the home of Chris Willis in Woodcroft, Harlow, on December 14 last year.

They searched the house where they found a large haul of the Class A drugs cocaine and MDMA, better known as ecstasy, the Class B drugs ketamine and cannabis and various envelopes containing of cash.

Drug dealing paraphernalia was also seized including weighing scales and a mobile phone linked to the supply of illegal substances.

In total officers recovered drugs worth £30,780 including 337grams of cocaine, nearly seven grams of MDMA, 40g of ketamine, 14g of cannabis. They also recovered £21,130 in cash believed to be the proceeds of his drug dealing.

Willis, 49, was arrested, charged and admitted two counts of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs and two counts of possession with intent to supply Class B drugs.

He was jailed for four years at Chelmsford Crown Court.

After sentencing, Det Sgt James Paget of the West Operation Raptor team said: “This is an excellent result for our community.

“Not only is a drug dealer behind bars but we stopped a significant amount of extremely harmful drugs from reaching the streets of our county.

“Willis can also be sure that the cash we seized from him will now be subject to a further Proceeds of Crime Act hearing which will mean it will be ploughed back into policing and helping us put other drugs dealers behind bars.

“If anyone is in any doubt that crime doesn’t pay, Willis is proof of that. He’s also proof of the fact that if you are attempting to sell drugs on the streets of Essex, expect a visit from Operation Raptor.”

Essex Police set up Operation Raptor teams in the north, south and west of the county to tackle drug and gang-related crime.

If you have information about drug or gang-related crime in your community contact Essex Police on 101 or Crimestoppers 100% anonymously on 0800 555 111.