Dealer who hid £100k drugs haul in Airbnb jailed

A dealer who rented an Airbnb to hide his drug haul worth more than £100,000 has been jailed.

Jack Ford, of St Paul's Road in Middlesbrough, has received a prison sentence for 12 years and nine months for violent disorder, conspiracy to supply cannabis, possession with intent to supply heroin and possession with intent to supply cocaine.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the 32-year-old had stashed cocaine inside kitchen cupboards and packages of heroin in a bedroom of the Airbnb on Grassington Road, Middlesbrough.

Ford had been wanted by Cleveland Police following reports of concern for an individual at a property where threats had been made in relation to drugs.

Police said specialised methods were utilised to locate Ford following the report made on 30 October 2024.

Searches of the Airbnb led to detectives finding 842g of cocaine, with a street value of approximately £84,000 and a wholesale value of between £38,000 to £42,000, inside cupboards in the kitchen.

Three packages of heroin were found in the bedroom, with one package weighing 1,070g with an estimated street value of £21,000, a second weighing 104g and worth approximately £2,080 and the third containing 292g of heroin, believed to be worth £5,840, police said.

Cannabis was also recovered inside the property along with £10,000 in cash, a money-counting machine and digital scales.

Ford was arrested on 7 November inside the Airbnb and later pleaded guilty to all the offences.

Det Con Genyfer Smith, from Cleveland Police's homicide and major enquiry team, said: "Ford had made the Airbnb booking himself and provided his own personal details knowing that he would be using the property to store, package, and weigh three different types of drugs ready for onward supply.

"The money-counting machine would also suggest he profited from their significant sale.

"He was either quite brazen in his actions or caught up in the money he would have been profiting, to not think police would be persistent in their pursuit of him."

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