Cocaine dealer jailed after drone tracks him fishing at caravan park
Jake Hawkins, 31, fled to Skegness after leaving Nottingham Crown Court before sentencing. A police drone located him at a caravan park, leading to his arrest and a nearly four-year jail term.
Fugitive drug dealer caught fishing by police drone in Skegness
A fugitive cocaine dealer was arrested at a Skegness caravan park after a police drone tracked him while he fished, lincsonline.co.uk reports.
Jake Hawkins, 31, from Worksop, left Nottingham Crown Court on 16 October without awaiting his sentence for being concerned in the supply of cocaine, a Class A drug. The court immediately issued a warrant for his arrest.
Intelligence work directed officers to the caravan park. Lincolnshire Police assisted the operation, deploying a drone to pinpoint Hawkins' location while he was fishing. Nottinghamshire Police's Bassetlaw neighbourhood policing team made the arrest on 28 October.
Hawkins appeared before Nottingham Crown Court the following day and was jailed for three years and nine months. He had previously pleaded guilty to the drugs offence.
The investigation had begun with searches of his home in Milton Drive, Worksop, and a business unit in the same town on 4 March 2024. Officers at the property seized scales bearing white powder residue, bags containing drug remnants and three Rolex watches. A separate team arrested Hawkins at his business premises and took his mobile phone.
Messages on the device revealed arrangements to purchase wholesale quantities of cocaine for onward supply.
Inspector Rob Harrison, district commander for Bassetlaw, said: "Those involved in dealing drugs will face the strongest possible enforcement action as we carry out intelligence-led warrants against local offenders. They can expect to be firmly dealt with and put before the courts to face the consequences."
Source: Google News UK — Crime (en)