Andrew Savage, a 34-year-old from Stockton known by the pseudonym 'Machete', has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for his role in a cocaine supply operation on Teesside. The court heard that Savage was involved in the supply of cocaine between 2020 and 2026.

The investigation began in November last year when officers stopped a motorist for suspicious behavior. A search of the individual uncovered cocaine and two mobile phones containing messages from a contact saved as 'Machete'. Police connected the contact to Savage after he 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 informed Teesside Crown Court that Savage’s bank account received £1,033,600 over six years through 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. Investigators found Savage spent nearly £127,000 on luxury holidays and first-class travel since 2023. Other expenditures included a £50,000 Rolex, a £96,000 BMW X5, a £6,300 gold bracelet, and £16,000 in gold bullion payments.

Defense barrister Gary Wood stated that Savage had a leading role but was not "at the top of the chain." Wood noted that Savage attempted to withdraw from the enterprise following a payment dispute that resulted in his home being targeted. Judge Marco Giuliani acknowledged Savage was not at the top of the organization but stated,

"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.