Joel Tasker received a 12-year sentence for county lines drug dealing in Grimsby. He supplied cocaine, heroin and Class A drugs.
Tasker, age 31, pleaded guilty to intending to supply cocaine and heroin, as well as other Class A drugs. The court sentenced him on February 4, giving him 12 years for Lincolnshire offenses and almost eight years concurrently for other crimes.
Police charged Tasker with drug crimes upon discovering he was key to a drug gang supplying drugs in North East Lincolnshire; he continued dealing drugs while on bail.
Officers in Grimsby stopped Tasker on September 4, 2024, finding him with a phone used for drug dealing, leading to his arrest for suspected Class A drug supply. He was subsequently released while police investigated the phone.
The investigation revealed a new phone being used, with officers finding Tasker adding money to it. The phone sent drug deal messages each time it was topped up.
Tasker was arrested again on November 13, with police finding cash, almost £500, and 64 wraps of heroin and cocaine worth £535. He faced charges for supplying cocaine and heroin and was held in custody on November 15 after appearing in court.
Detective Inspector Tom Kelly hopes the sentence serves as a warning to others regarding drug crimes, further explaining their teamwork with partners was aided by information from the public, pinpointing Tasker’s crimes.
Kelly emphasized their work to stop organized crime and thanked everyone for their support in helping remove drugs from the streets. Police investigate all information received, as public tips help them build strong cases, leading to sentences like Tasker’s.
People can share drug crime information using the non-emergency number 101, or 999 in emergencies. Reports can be made anonymously to Crimestoppers at 0800 555 111.
