A group of four people who worked together to supply cocaine in Stoke-on-Trent have been sentenced.

All four were sentenced at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on Thursday 8 January.

The Staffordshire Police major and organised crime team had been investigating the dealings of the group since 2022, when it came to their attention that a drug line was operating.

In April of that year, two members of the group were arrested at a home in Stoke-on-Trent. They were Junaid Iqbal, 25, of Smallthorne, Stoke-on-Trent, and Ruby Rowsen, 22, of Werrington.

More than £1,400 in cash was found in the kitchen, as well as a sweet tub containing cocaine, scales and bags in the living room. Mobile phones were also found and seized.

Staffordshire Police said the drugs found were believed to have a street value between £2,080 and £3,120.

Later that month, 26-year-old Aaron Russell of Smallthorne was arrested at another home in Stoke-on-Trent where cash, a Nokia phone and scales were seized.

The fourth member, 33-year-old Timothy Smith of Norton, was arrested in May that year.

He was detained in his home and an iPhone was seized from underneath a pillow.

A spokesperson for Staffordshire Police said: "We're working proactively every single day in Staffordshire to tackle the organised groups responsible for drug dealing in local communities.

"These groups often exploit vulnerable local people into dealing the drugs on their behalf, allowing career criminals to profit from the addiction and vulnerability of people living locally."

At the sentencing at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court last Thursday (8 January), Iqbal admitted conspiracy to supply a controlled drug of class A – cocaine and was jailed for three-years-and-four-months.

Smith admitted the same offence and was sentenced to two-years-and-three-months in prison.

Rowson and Russell both admitted the same offence and were sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for two years.