'Agent of misery' West Bromwich dealer who ran the 'K line' drugs phone is jailed

Polish-born Oskar Zegel, of Beaconview Road, West Bromwich, who was running the 'K Line' drugs phone, was told by a judge that he had become 'an agent of misery in [his] adopted country'.

Zegel, who came to the UK as a six-year-old boy with his parents, had more than £1,300 in cash on him as well as 161 wraps of heroin and crack cocaine when he was arrested on January 12 this year, Gloucester Crown Court was told.

Zegel pleaded guilty to possessing the drugs with intent to supply, being concerned in drug supply and possession of criminal cash.

Prosecutor Mr Michael Hall said police had 'for a long while' been investigating the 'K Line' drug supply network in Cheltenham and on January 11 this year they received intelligence concerning a white Range Rover which was believed to be involved.

An officer witnessed the vehicle in the town and was able to see the driver - and believed he could see a drug deal being done, said Mr Hall.

The next day, January 12, the car was seen in the rear car park of the Lansdown pub in Cheltenham and police checks confirmed that it had been stolen in Birmingham on January 9.

Mr Hall said: "Officers attended the area and laid in wait. At 1am they saw Zegel and another person getting into the vehicle. They intervened to make an arrest and both men ran from the vehicle.

"Zegel jumped over a wall and onto a flat roof and he was arrested there.

"The passenger was also arrested but there was nothing found on him except for a phone which had a 'dealer's list' on it.

"Forensic evidence is awaited and that person may well be charged.

"Zegel was in possession of drugs, two phones and £1,340 in cash. One of the phones was a Nokia 'burner' which was used for the K Line. There were 131 wraps of heroin and 30 wraps of crack cocaine as well as a further 23.76 grams separately in two other packages.

"The K Line group had been making almost daily trips to Cheltenham, arriving each evening and then heading back to Birmingham to reload."

Mr Hall said Zegel had no previous criminal convictions.

Mr Simon Hanns, defending, said Zegel has a partner and a young daughter and his parents are 'very upstanding' citizens.

He said he could not argue against Zegel being sentenced as a man who had a 'significant role' in drug dealing.

Judge Rupert Lowe told Zegel: "You have got yourself involved in criminality, quite deeply involved, which is a real shame.

"I expect your parents came here for a better life for themselves and for you, but you have messed up really badly.

"But you are still young and you have got plenty of time to repair that damage.

"You know that drug dealing just spreads misery for everybody - for yourself, for users, for people who get involved in violence and threats - and it is a waste of taxpayers' money. You have been an agent of misery in your adopted country, which is a shame and it needs to stop."

Jailing Zegel for 30 months, the judge warned him that if he goes back to drug dealing and is caught again he will receive a sentence of four and a half years next time.