'Millionaire' gang boss called police on drug phone

A cocaine dealer who was living an "extravagant" and "millionaire's" lifestyle was caught after he used his drug operation phone to report a burglary to police, a court has heard.

Andrew Savage, 34, was estimated to have sold more than £1m worth of drugs over a six year period and spent money on luxury holidays, clothes and gold, Teesside Crown Court heard.

A judge said Savage's drugs spread "misery" and devastated lives.

Savage from Stockton was jailed for 12 years after admitting being concerned in the supply of cocaine.

On 19 November 2025, police in Middlesbrough stopped a man due to his suspicious behaviour and found he was carrying wraps of cocaine and two mobile phones, prosecutor Shaun Dryden said.

A search of the phones showed he was selling drugs for someone named "Machete", the court heard, with the messages revealing Machete was running the line, arranging the restocking of drugs and providing vehicles for dealers to make deliveries in.

Detectives were "very keen to find out who Machete was", Dryden said, with an investigation launched.

They discovered Machete's phone number had been used in 2024 to report a burglary, with the caller being Savage, the court heard.

Checks with the mobile phone company also revealed the phone and number were registered to Savage, the court heard.

Officers also had suspicions about Savage after going to his house on an unrelated matter in December 2025 and making a note of his expensive watch, necklace and ring, the court heard.

He was arrested at his home on 25 March where police found £20,000 in cash in a carrier bag in his loft, £1,800 in his bedroom and £500 worth of cocaine in his back yard, the court heard.

Officers also seized other items including a £96,000 BMW, £25,000 necklace and Rolex watch worth at least £50,000, Dryden said.

Searches of his credit card showed he had spent almost £127,000 on first class flights, "luxury holidays" and clothing between January 2023 and April 2026, the court heard.

In Savage's bank account, officers found he had received 15,604 payments since 2020 for apparent £50, £70 and £100 drug deals totalling £1,033,600, Dryden said, with drugs experts estimating he had sold about 13.7kg of cocaine.

There was also evidence he had been dealing in gold bullion, the court heard.

Recorder Mark Giuliani said Savage had been living an "extravagant" and "millionaire's" lifestyle while playing a leading role in the drugs gang.

He said the cocaine Savage and his associates flooded the streets with caused "crime and misery" and "devastated the lives" of many people.

Speaking after the hearing, Det Sgt Owen Collingwood of Cleveland Police said the sentence was "testament to [Savage's] criminality" and "how he exploited others to do his dirty work while he enjoyed the rewards".

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