Paul Price, 50, has been sentenced to seven years and four months in prison after police seized 15 blocks of cocaine from his vehicle, valued at around £1.5 million.
The arrest took place on Thursday, 14 November, when officers from Cleveland Police’s Matrix unit spotted Price driving a white Renault Master on the A19 near Crathorne. The van was stopped at the A174 slip lane using a tactical pursuit and containment (TPAC) manoeuvre.
A search of the vehicle uncovered 15 blocks of cocaine, each weighing approximately one kilogram. Price was arrested immediately, and video footage shows officers placing him in handcuffs while a police dog searched the van.
The following day, the dedicated drugs unit (DDU) worked with the Crown Prosecution Service to charge him with possession with intent to supply Class A drugs. Price appeared at Teesside Magistrates’ Court on 15 November and later pleaded guilty at Teesside Crown Court, where he received his prison sentence on 16 December.
Detective Constable Ian Waugh of the DDU said: “Cleveland Police responded quickly to stop this vehicle and prevent these Class A drugs from hitting the streets of Teesside. This conviction demonstrates our commitment to tackling drug trafficking in the area.”
