Overview

• Atherton, 29, was sentenced at Bolton Crown Court on September 19 after admitting two counts of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
• Detectives identified a dedicated drugs line used to send bulk text messages advertising heroin and crack cocaine to a wide network of users.
• Investigators say the group exploited vulnerable people to run drugs, store cash and help distribute narcotics across Greater Manchester.
• He was arrested on March 25, and videos on his phone showed him handling large amounts of cash and weighing what police believe was cocaine.
• The case was led by GMP’s Programme Challenger, with officials highlighting partnership work and urging communities to report intelligence.