Nottinghamshire drug dealer who had £130,000 haul jailed after police chase

Nottinghamshire Police also recovered £12,000 of cash from dealer Luke Evans following a routine enquiry into a car on false number plates.

Officers were called to a holiday cabin in Newark after reports about the suspicious vehicle with different plates on the front and back on 24 March 2019.

Enquiries established the car had been stolen in a burglary in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, and the number plates had been stolen from Tibshelf, Derbyshire.

Officers knocked on the door of the holiday cabin and when 32-year-old Evans answered he was arrested in relation to the burglary and theft of the car and number plates.

Police then searched the cabin and found large quantities of drugs and cash. They further arrested Evans, formerly of Moor Street, Mansfield, on suspicion of possession of drugs with intent to supply.

He was later bailed but failed to answer his bail. Officers caught up with him again when they spotted a Ford Mondeo being driven without insurance in Mansfield on 12 January 2020.

Officers followed the car but it failed to stop and was driven dangerously by Evans as the pursuit continued. The Mondeo was travelling at 80mph when Evans lost control on a potholed road and crashed.

Evans was helped out of the car by officers before he was arrested and taken to hospital for treatment.

He appeared at Nottingham Crown Court for sentencing on Thursday (5 March 2020) after pleading guilty to charges of possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply and dangerous driving.

He was jailed for seven years and given a three-year driving ban.

Speaking after his sentencing, Detective Chief Inspector Kevin Broadhead said: “Drug crime can have a devastating impact on people’s lives and Nottinghamshire Police will continue to locate and prosecute those who seek to deal drugs, and ensure they are brought to justice.

“I am pleased that Evans will have to face the consequences of his actions and hope this sends a message that drug supply will not be tolerated in Nottinghamshire."