Hastings man jailed for involvement in supply of cocaine

Samuel Mills, of Braybrooke Road in Hastings, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of a Class A drug after coming to the attention of police as part of an investigation into a county drugs line running between London and the coastal town.

During the operation, which culminated in a day of multiple arrests in May, a phone was seized with messages pertaining to the supply of Class A drugs - with Mills being one of the recipients of the messages.

Officers found that the 29-year-old had left the country in May and travelled to France, with further enquiries discovering a last-minute flight booked from Geneva to Gatwick Airport.

Mills was then arrested upon exiting the aircraft on June 1, and later charged with being concerned in the supply of a Class A drug after evidence linked him to a phone number involved in the supply of cocaine.

Mills was sentenced to five years and nine months in prison when he appeared at Lewes Crown Court last Friday (August 5).

Samuel Mills, 29, from Braybrooke Road in Hastings

PC Ross Saniford said: “Although Mills wasn’t arrested as part of our initial operation, extensive phone analysis carried out by officers later identified his involvement in the supply of Class A drugs and we quickly sought to bring him into custody.

“The sentence he’s been given reflects the severity of the crime, and the dangerous impact Class A drugs can have on a person and the wider community.

“This is yet another positive outcome which highlights our determination to disrupt the supply and distribution of harmful drugs in East Sussex. We continue to work closely with partner agencies and other police forces to crack down and put pressure on those who choose to deal drugs in our villages, towns and cities.”

Sussex Police, supported by the Metropolitan Police and Surrey Police, led the execution of 19 drugs warrants on May 4, resulting in 18 arrests for drugs offences.

A total of 5,000 wraps of crack cocaine and heroin were seized during the raids, as well as seven kilograms of cocaine, two kilograms of heroin and £300,000 in cash.