The leader of a county lines drug gang tried to destroy his graft phone after being caught red handed by police. Daniel Jones, from , headed up a gang who flooded the streets of Crewe with heroin and crack cocaine. The drugs had an estimated value between £114,000 and £228,000 and were supplied to drug users in Crewe from April 2021 to October 2022. A investigation established that the gang was based in Crewe and Sandbach and had tried to throw police off the scent by having 'graft' mobile phones, regularly changing vehicles and using taxi services, The five members of the county lines supply network were jailed at Crown Court on Friday (August 11) for a combined total of more than 30 years. Daniel Jones controlled the gang’s phone used to advertise the sale and distribution of the class A drugs, with help from his associates Aaron Dodd and Shane Baillie. They would then pass the details of orders on to street dealers Stephen Barratt and James Wilson. Officers witnessed the gang during drug deals and monitored telecoms. On October 12, 2021, officers on patrol near to Brook Street in Crewe spotted Jones in the immediate vicinity of three local drug users. When Jones became aware of the police presence, he fled and attempted to destroy his mobile phone. However, he was swiftly detained by officers and arrested. Following Jones’ arrest, the other four men were arrested during early morning strikes at addresses across Crewe and were subsequently charged. Detective Sergeant Kevin Williams said: "I welcome the sentences handed to this dangerous gang of men that brought misery to our community. Jones thought he could get away with bringing his illegal enterprise to Crewe but thanks to the efforts of all involved, we were able to stop him in his tracks. "We do all we can to prevent the devastating impact that illegal drugs can have and these men took advantage of our community and the vulnerable members within it, all to line their own pockets. "I hope their lengthy sentences remind others that this behaviour is not welcome nor is it tolerated in Cheshire. We will continue in our fight against illegal drugs and do all we can to break the cycle of serious and organised crime."