Two people have been sentenced following a warrant at their Ludlow home earlier this year, where more than £100,000 worth of class A drugs were found.

Ryan Preece, aged 42, and Caroline Bradley, aged 47, both of Rocks Green Crescent, were sentenced at Shrewsbury Crown Court on Friday, 12 December.

The court heard how Ludlow’s Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) were contacted by concerned members of the community that the address may have being used to supply drugs in February 2025.

Following further enquiries the SNT were able to obtain a drugs warrant, which was executed on Thursday 12 June with support from Task Force.

Once inside the property officers discovered two blocks of heroin with a combined weight of 998g and an estimated street value of £99,800 hidden inside a designer handbag.

They also found £2,800 worth of cocaine, £2,700 in cash, two axes and mobile phones linked to drugs supply. Preece and Bradley were arrested at the scene, and following an investigation by Shropshire’s proactive CID team they were later charged.

Preece pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply (cocaine), being concerned in the supply of cocaine and heroin and acquiring criminal property. He was handed a four-year custodial sentence.

Bradley pleaded guilty to permitting the use of her premises for the supply of cocaine. She was given a one-week custodial sentence, but due to time served on remanded was released.

Safer Neighbourhood Team Inspector for South Shropshire, Damien Kelly, said: “The sentence given to Preece for his role in supplying drugs to Shropshire show exactly what can be achieved when our communities share information with us. This outcome should reassure residents that when you tell us about suspected drug activity, we take it seriously and we act on it.

“You may not always see immediate results, but our teams are constantly working behind the scenes, gathering intelligence and taking action at the right time to target those involved in criminal behaviour.

“I want to recognise the work of the local policing team and CID, whose efforts have led to these convictions and removed a significant quantity of drugs from our streets.

“The warrant that we carried out in June formed part of Op Conyay, which our ongoing commitment to tackling drug supply and associated harm across the south of Shropshire.”