Andrew Savage, a 34-year-old father-of-three from Stockton, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for his involvement in a cocaine supply operation. Known by the pseudonym 'Machete', Savage was found to have banked more than £1 million in transactions over a six-year period between 2020 and 2026.

The investigation began in November last year after police searched a motorist for suspicious behaviour. Officers discovered cocaine and two mobile phones containing messages from a contact saved as 'Machete'. Police identified Savage after discovering he had used the same phone number to report a burglary in 2024. A subsequent raid on his Stockton property recovered £21,800 in cash and £500 worth of cocaine.

Prosecutor Shaun Dryden told Teesside Crown Court that Savage ran a dedicated drugs line using two people and provided them with vehicles to visit customers. Bank records showed thousands of small deposits, including:

• 8,697 deposits of £50
• 3,600 deposits of £70
• 3,842 deposits of £100

Police estimate Savage sold 13.7 kilos of cocaine, with a street value exceeding £1 million. Court proceedings detailed Savage's spending on luxury items and travel, including:

• Nearly £127,000 on luxury holidays and first-class travel since 2023
• A £50,000 Rolex timepiece
• A £96,000 BMW X5
• £16,000 in gold bullion payments and a £6,300 gold bracelet

Savage pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine, possession with intent to supply a class A drug, and possession of criminal property. His barrister, Gary Wood, stated that while Savage had a leading role, he was not "at the top of the chain" and had attempted to withdraw from the enterprise following a payment dispute that resulted in his home being targeted.

Judge Marco Giuliani sentenced Savage to 12 years, noting:

"You got yourself, through your own greed, into a position where you could not extricate yourself from those matters."

To date, £280,000 in criminal assets have been confiscated.