UK drug dealer who imported drugs from Ireland given 16 years behind bars

The 32-year-old who fled England in a bid to avoid arrest was charged with conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs, possession with intent to supply a Class B drug, handling stolen goods, possession of a bladed article, dangerous driving and theft.

Shaun Philip Mason fled a drugs farm in March 2020 when officers, who could smell cannabis from the street, knocked on his door.

Leaving the scene in a stolen Land Rover, he crashed into the police vehicles that were pursuing him.

Mason then stole a bicycle from a lone female cyclist to make his get away.

He then travelled to Ireland, Liverpool and Spain where using his criminal links, imported Class A and B drugs into the North East of England.

Officers from the North East Regional Specialist Operations Unit (NERSOU) began investigating the drug baron when 10kg of MDMA was found in parcels sent from the Netherlands.

Upon executing warrants on the addresses that the parcels were sent to, burner phones and drug paraphernalia were discovered.

During a digital examination of the phones, encrypted messages arranging the deliveries of the drugs were discovered.

After an international arrest warrant was issued, he was extradited back to the UK to answer to the charges.

On Wednesday he pleaded guilty to seven charges including conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs, possession with intent to supply a Class B drug, handling stolen goods, possession of a bladed article, dangerous driving and theft.

He was handed down a sentence of 16 years in prison.