A DRUG dealer who supplied cocaine and cannabis using an encrypted network has been jailed.

Police have welcomed the sentencing of 34 year-old John Karl Southern for his involvement in a Class A and B drugs conspiracy.

Southern, of Burscough Street, Ormskirk, was found guilty after a trial of conspiring to supply ‘not less than 5kg of cocaine’ and ‘not less than 7kg of cannabis’.

He was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Southern’s conspiracy period ran from March 2019 through to June 2020 during which he used the handle 'Bigdunc'.

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Between the end of March 2020 to the start of June that year, Southern was shown to have conspired to supply 3.8kg of cocaine, 76kg of cannabis (cannabis and cannabis resin) and 3kg of ketamine

Detective Inspector Mike Dalton said: "Southern chose to plead not guilty to the charges and as a result received a considerable prison sentence after being convicted after a trial.

"Our work to bring these people to justice continues day in and day out and we are determined to put them behind bars where they belong for peddling misery on our streets.

"Community intelligence is a vital key to the work we do and does have positive results. I would continue to urge people to come forward if they have any information about people dealing drugs in their area."

  • Anyone with information about who is dealing drugs in their area is urged to DM @MerPolCC or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.