Salford man who dealt drugs as ‘KitKat’ jailed for three years

A Salford man who dealt cocaine and heroin under a brand he called ‘KitKat’ has been jailed for three years.

Ethan Rouse, 22, of Madams Wood Road, Salford, was sentenced for being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin.

Officers from Greater Manchester Police’s county lines team investigated the ‘KitKat’ drugs, with extensive phone work analysis revealing that dozens of drug users in the Cheshire area were receiving often twice-daily broadcast messages selling the substances.

The phone was seen regularly travelling between Salford and Cheshire, and on June 7, officers executed a warrant in Little Hulton, in which Rouse was arrested and £2,000 in cash was seized.

Rouse was also sentenced for possession with intent to supply class A drugs, for which he received 31 months to run concurrently.

PC Catherine Greenwood, from Greater Manchester Police’s county lines team, said: “Rouse was involved in criminality which ruins lives and this is a fantastic result for our team. We worked closely with Cheshire Police throughout the investigation, utilising phone-work and other evidence to strengthen this case and secure a conviction.

“We continue to work to clamp down on county lines drug dealing, and we want to send a clear message to those involved that we will never tolerate what they do. If you are involved, you can expect a knock at your door.

“If anyone in Greater Manchester has any information about drug dealing, I would urge them to get in touch with us. You can do this by calling 101, or contacting Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.”