County lines drug dealer jailed

A man has been jailed for 31 months for his role in supplying drugs across Telford as part of a county line. 

Ishmel Hanson, of John Earlam Close in Priorslee, was handed the sentence after previously pleading guilty to two counts of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs and one count of acquiring criminal property.

The court heard how in August 2025 officers noticed a white BMW belonging to be the 34-year-old being driven near his home address. 

As Hanson got out of his vehicle officers approached him which is when he ran away from them, leading to a foot chase. 

He was quickly caught by officers, where they discovered he had £260 in cash on him, along with two mobile phones. Officers then carried out a search of his BMW where they found a wrap of heroine. 

Hanson was arrested, and search of his address was also carried out where wraps of crack cocaine and heroin, with a street value of around £640, were discovered. 

Designer clothes worth a total of £7,000 were in the property, along with £6,800 worth of cash - £6,000 of it was found hidden in a sock. Following an investigation officers established that Hanson was part of the 'Tiger Line'.

Hanson was soon charged, and on Thursday (5 March) he was handed a 31-month sentence at Shrewsbury Crown Court.

Detective Sergeant Steve Miller, from Telford's Proactive CID, said: “Hanson played an active role in a county line that brought harmful class A drugs into our communities. Thanks to the quick actions of our officers, we were able to stop him, recover significant quantities of drugs and cash, and dismantle yet another link in this criminal network. 

"This sentence reflects the seriousness of his offending and our continued commitment to pursuing those who exploit vulnerable people for profit.”