A DEALER whose drug peddling operation ‘brought misery to residents’ in Runcorn has been put behind bars.

Nathan Bligh was arrested on Wednesday, May 11, after police executed a stop and search while he was driving to Runcorn.

The 30-year-old was found in possession of 134 wraps of crack cocaine and 135 wraps of heroin.

A further six wraps of heroin and a large quantity of cash was later found at his home address during a search by officers.

Bligh, from Norris Green in Liverpool, was well-known to detectives for his role in county lines drug dealing, supplying large amounts of class A drugs into the Palacefields area of Runcorn.

He became subject to a targeted county lines policing operation managed by Runcorn proactive CID with support from Merseyside Police.

Bligh, of Lambourne Road, appeared before Liverpool Crown Court on Friday, July 1, where he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years and four months in prison.

Following the sentencing, PC Stuart Beswick, of Runcorn Proactive CID, said: “Bligh is responsible for transporting and supplying large amounts of class A drugs from Liverpool to the streets of Runcorn.

“In doing so, he brought misery to local residents of the Palacefields area.

“Illegal drugs can clearly have a devastating impact on drug users, but also on the local communities that surround them.

“I welcome the custodial sentence that has been handed to Bligh, and I hope this serves as a reminder to anyone intent on committing crime in Cheshire that we are watching, and you will be brought to justice.

“I would also like to reassure local residents that our work does not stop here, and we will continue to target county lines drug dealers operating in Runcorn and throughout Cheshire”.

The force is urging anyone that may have any information on suspected drug offences to report it by calling 101 or anonymously via crimestoppers-uk.org