Andrew Farren: Manchester Drug Dealer Jailed After 100k Stash Found In Lock-Up
A Manchester drug dealer has been jailed after authorities raided his lock-up in Oldham and discovered a huge haul of cannabis, cocaine, and crack cocaine with a street value of more than £100,000. Officers also seized £73,000 in cash.
55-year-old Andrew Farren was busted when a HMRC officer was conducting a search of a storage unit in Failsworth, Oldham, in December 2022, and forced his way inside a container rented by the drug dealer.
Inside the container, the officer discovered a large quantity of cocaine and a key to a safe, inside the safe was even more cocaine, a burner phone, and a debtor's book.
Officers from Greater Manchester Police's Challenger team were dispatched to the scene and located £73,000 in cash in a safety deposit box.
Included in the drugs haul, was 899g of cannabis valued at £8,990, 624g of crack cocaine valued at £62,420, and 456g of cocaine valued at £36,512.
Andrew Farren, of Turnberry Walk, Crumpsall, Manchester, admitted the drugs were his and pleaded guilty at Minshull Street Crown Court last month to possession with intent to supply cocaine, possession with intent to supply crack cocaine, and money laundering.
He was sentenced today to five years behind bars.
Speaking after sentencing, Detective Constable Jake Orr, said: "This quantity of drugs shows the level Farren was operating at - he was organised, with a lot of experience which could only be developed over a considerable amount of time.
"I hope today's sentencing goes to show no matter how organised or sophisticated you may think you are, our detectives will proactively pursue all available lines of enquiry and take robust action against you.
"Though some work into drug investigations can't always be seen, there is a lot going on behind the scenes. "We will always listen to our communities' concerns and any information or issues that are fed to us can sometimes hugely assist our ongoing investigations."
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