Liam Riley, 28, from Liverpool, has been sentenced to five years in prison after evading arrest for 16 months. He was a key player in a county lines drug trafficking network operating between Liverpool and the Weymouth area of Dorset.
Officers from Dorset Police’s Serious Organised Crime Investigation Team (SOCIT) identified Riley as one of eight suspects involved in a drugs gang active from November 2018 to February 2019. While his seven co-defendants were sentenced in 2023, Riley absconded just before his court hearing on August 25, 2023, sparking a lengthy manhunt.
Riley was finally located and arrested in Inverness, Scotland, on December 19, 2024. More than two years after skipping court, he was convicted today at Bristol Crown Court for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
READ MORE: Dates Confirmed for the Return of Two Beloved Somerset Christmas Events
READ MORE: Incredible Coastal Walk Ending at One of the UK’s Best Pubs
Investigators presented evidence showing that a phone line linked to Riley was used to coordinate the gang’s activities. Broadcast text messages advertised drugs to local users, facilitating the county lines operation. The investigation led to a series of arrests between December 18, 2018, and January 31, 2019. When initially caught at a Cheshire address, Riley was found in a bathroom attempting to destroy his mobile phone by removing its SIM card and IMEI identification.
The police seizure included over 800 wraps of Class A drugs and more than £15,000 in cash. Detective Chief Inspector Jamie Halford of Dorset Police emphasized the significant impact Riley’s role had on drug supply in the Weymouth community and reaffirmed the force’s commitment to targeting organised crime groups. He also encouraged the public to continue providing information to aid ongoing investigations.