Angel Angelov and Tsonko Peev, both 25 and from Leeds, were sent to prison after pleading guilty to Class A drugs offences in Harrogate.
On the afternoon of 10 November 2022, officers from North Yorkshire Police’s Operation Expedite team in Harrogate stopped a vehicle on its way to the town from Leeds.
The driver, Angelov, was searched, and found with 26 bags of cocaine in a mint tin and a lock knife.
As the investigation continued, the team stopped another vehicle on Leeds Road in Harrogate on 5 December. Inside were Angelov and Peev. This time, Angelov was found with 20 bags of cocaine hidden in the lining of his coat, and a further 11 bags were found hidden by the vehicle’s handbrake.
Angelov and Peev were arrested and both charged with possession with intent to supply cocaine. Angelov was also charged with possessing a knife. They appeared at court the following day, where they were remanded to prison.
Both pleaded guilty, and at York Crown Court on Tuesday 7 February 2023, Angelov was sentenced to five years and three months in prison; Peev was sentenced to two years and three months in prison.
PC George Frost, from the Operation Expedite team, said:
Following a swift investigation, two drug dealers have been taken off the streets of Harrogate, along with thousands of pounds worth of Class A drugs.
Dealers like Angelov and Peev seek to exploit the vulnerabilities of users and their addictions for their own selfish financial gain. The effects of drug dealing and drug use are felt far and wide, leading to violence, anti-social behaviour and acquisitive crime.
I hope the people of Harrogate and wider North Yorkshire feel reassured by the result of the investigation and the jail sentences. We are committed to protecting the vulnerable in our communities, and are working night and day to keep drug dealers out of the area.
