(Image: West Yorkshire Police)
A street dealer who conceived a marketing campaign to advertise a drugs line he dubbed “the West Yorkshire Cartel” has been jailed for almost seven years.
Shane Vickers even persuaded a teenage boy to create an AI logo for his operation, which advertised cocaine, ketamine, and cannabis for sale to customers.
His so-called cartel was also advertised on cigarette lighters to which he affixed stickers bearing its name and drug line number.
Police found lighters after Audi pulled over
Bradford Crown Court heard how Vickers, 26, was a passenger in an Audi A3 being driven by his girlfriend when it was stopped by police in Silsden on March 2.
Prosecuting barrister Katherine Robinson said police noticed Vickers moving around “unnaturally.”
He was searched at the scene and found with an iPhone and two lighters with a phone number stuck to the sides and the phrase “West Yorkshire Cartel: flake, ket, pills, weed.”
Miss Robinson said the lighters were a marketing technique in relation to a drugs line.
Vickers’ passport was discovered during a search of his girlfriend’s home as well as a box of 50 lighters plus sticky labels like those on the lighters found on Vickers himself.
Boy, 14, asked to create AI marketing image
The dealer line number was found saved on Vickers’ phone as well as messages in which he wrote of needing to get into a stash house which, said Miss Robinson, indicated he was storing the drugs elsewhere.
The court heard that he sent out messages containing his bank details and name for customers to transfer money and had asked a 14-year-old boy to create an AI marketing image.
Miss Robinson said: “[This would depict] a male with cash wearing a balaclava.
“The defendant makes a specific request for the text to include West Yorkshire Cartel, the dealer line number, and emojis including a horse to represent ketamine, snowflakes for cocaine, and pills for MDMA.
“This completed image was sent by the defendant to customers via Snapchat.”
Customers could buy drugs from the 'West Yorkshire Cartel'
On February 27, he sent out messages advising that the new dealer line was active and to delete the old one.
His phone also contained stock lists, numbers, customers, and amounts.
The court heard that the messages related to drugs line operation where customers could buy controlled drugs from the 'West Yorkshire Cartel'.
Vickers, who had previous convictions including for violence, had been released from prison in December last year and was on licence at the time.
Vickers, of no fixed abode but previously of Bradford Road, Cleckheaton, pleaded guilty before trial to being concerned in the supply of cocaine, ketamine, and cannabis.
He appeared in court via video link from HMP Leeds.
Drug dealer says he is sorry
Mitigating, Erin Kitson-Parker conceded that Vickers was a street dealer but that there was no evidence of substantial links to others or that he had others working for him.
She also said there was no evidence of him enjoying a lavish lifestyle, substantial profit, cars, or designer goods.
However, she conceded that he sent out the dealer number, had the lighters for marketing, and created the AI logo, which suggested he had involved others.
She said Vickers regretted asking the teenager to get involved, and that he was sorry.
'You were running a drugs line'
Sentencing Vickers to six years and ten months’ imprisonment, Her Honour Judge Kirstie Watson said: “It was clear from the information that was gleaned by the officers … that you were sending out messages to customers stating that a new line was active and deleting the old one.
“It is clear from that information … that you were running a drugs line.
“It is a number that was intrinsically connected to you, and you were intrinsically involved in running it by the production of a logo and by the advertising and marketing tools [to promote it].”
She added: “I am satisfied that you did have a leading role in this case.”