Drug dealer who used the dark web caught after FBI tip off

A man who imported class A drugs to the UK was caught after a tip-off from the FBI. Wayne Withers has now been jailed for three years.

Withers, age 47, of Scorton Avenue, Blackpool, was sentenced at Preston Crown Court after pleading guilty to using the dark web to import class A drugs to addresses across the seaside resort.

Withers became known to police back in 2021 after data provided by the FBI showed he had been using the marketplace 'AlphaBay' to source his drugs, which he paid for using cryptocurrency in an attempt to conceal his identity.

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Constable Patrick Boardman, from the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit, said: "Working with the FBI and the NCA, we were able to gather evidence against Withers which was so damning that he pled guilty to the offences earlier this year.

"Targeting the supply and distribution of controlled drugs across the the North West remains an absolute priority for the NWROCU and our partners. "Drugs, money and violence all go hand-in-hand. The NCA and regional organised crime units will continue to work together to stop organised criminals profiting from the importation and supply of drugs."