A drug dealer responsible for bringing wholesale amounts of cocaine into Herefordshire has been jailed for nine years.

Kevin Hill of Tarbock Road, Speke, Liverpool, was sentenced at Worcester Crown Court on Monday (June 13)  for supplying cocaine and possessing offensive weapons.

Police conservatively estimated the 48-year-old distributed in excess of a kilo of cocaine, but believe the figures involved are likely to be more significant.

An investigation by West Mercia Police with support from Merseyside Police found that between May 2021 and February 2022, Hill led a Liverpool-based group responsible for the distribution of wholesale amounts of cocaine into Herefordshire.

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Kevin Hill took over this enterprise from his twin brother, Keith Hill of Ridgemoor Road, Leominster, who is himself serving a nine-year jail sentence after being sentenced at Worcester Crown Court in August 2021.

The two brothers were senior members of an organised crime group.

The police operation gathered significant mobile phone evidence which implicated Hill on a large scale.

He admitted the charges and received a reduced sentence.

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Initially Hill had said he was a dog breeder and received payments marked up for the sale of XL Bully dogs, but this was “easily” disproven, a police spokesperson said.

Evidence was gathered that demonstrated Hill had a number of contacts in and around Herefordshire, who were themselves dealers in their own right.

This included 23-year-old Callum Smith of Princess Avenue, Hereford, who was sentenced to six years and seven months in prison, and 32-year-old Nathaniel Singleton of Mortimer Street, Leominster, who was sentenced to 33 months.

Ledbury Reporter: Callum Smith and Nathaniel Singleton have also been jailedCallum Smith and Nathaniel Singleton have also been jailed

Singleton was arrested on October 13, 2021 and found in possession of £24,000 of cocaine. Smith was arrested on January 19, 2022 and found with several hundred pounds worth of cocaine.

These drugs were supplied by Kevin Hill.

Detective Sergeant Jamie Bullock said: “People involved in this line of work should be mindful that at no point did we seize drugs or money from Kevin Hill.

“Those in a similar position should use this sentence as a warning that they could be next.

“Anyone with any concerns about potential drug crime is urged to get in touch. We act on all reports we receive.”

You can call 101 or visit https://www.westmercia.police.uk/tua/tell-us-about/