Jail for Sheffield dealer who used children as drug runners in ‘sophisticated’ operation

Paris Rose, aged 33, of Edenhall Road, near City Road, Sheffield, was jailed for six years at Sheffield Crown Court for a drugs conspiracy after officers uncovered the scheme and seized drugs with a market value of around £93,500.

The court heard that Rose owned and controlled what police described as a lucrative Class A drug line using a lone phone number between 2015 and 2017, making large amounts of money whilst his drug runners, many of whom were children, carried out work on his behalf. Following extensive enquiries, officers launched a dedicated operation and seized large amounts of drugs but it was found that the drug line was being reactivated and business continued afterwards.

The first of the warrants began in January 2016 where officers recovered 323 grams of class A drugs from an address on Edenhall Road. A man was arrested and subsequently convicted. A number of other warrants followed over the following two years and a total of six other people were arrested and later brought to justice.

In November 2017, officers raided an address in Chesterfield as well as Rose’s home address on Edenhall Road in Sheffield and seized cocaine hydrochloride and cannabis valued at around £42,000. Despite attempts to hide his mobile phone, officers seized it and found messaging consistent with the supply of class A and B drugs.

Following a complex investigation, Covid and delays in court, Rose was sentenced on Monday, October 17 at Sheffield Crown Court after pleading guilty for possession with intent to supply a controlled drug of class A and B, producing controlled drug Class B, possessing a controlled drug of class B and conspiracy to supply a class A controlled drug.

Detective Inspector Matt Lavender, of South Yorkshire Police, said after the court had passed sentence: “Rose was running a sophisticated line and using a number of children as his drugs runners to be able to run his enterprise. Drugs can not only blight communities, but they can also lead to devastating consequences and those heading up such large-scale drugs enterprises are our number one target.

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“Behind every drug deal is someone vulnerable, whether that’s the person making it, storing it, selling it, or involved in violence as a result. That’s why taking drugs off our streets is and will always remain as one of our number one priorities. This drugs operation is a clear example of County Lines whereby young and vulnerable members of community are used to benefit people like Rose and I’m glad he’s been brought to justice.”

Det Insp Lavender added: “Anyone concerned or has any information about drug dealing in their community can contact us by calling 101 or reporting it online at our online portal.”

For more information on County Lines, visit: County Lines - National Crime Agency.

Crimestoppers can be contacted on 0800 555111.

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