The drugs stash found in Bootle was worth up to £137,888
The drugs stash found in Bootle was worth up to £137,888
17:30, 03 Mar 2026
A 22-year-old dealer turned his aunt’s house into a drugs “warehouse” with a huge stash worth almost £138,000. Jack Wilde was caught leaving the Bootle address, which was filled with a large supply of cocaine, amphetamines, cannabis, and magic mushrooms.
He was spotted by plain-clothes police officers on patrol on Grainger Avenue on December 1 last year. Prosecutor Hannah Darling, at Liverpool Crown Court today (Tuesday, March 3), said: “While on patrol they passed the defendant wheeling a mountain bike from an address, placing a balaclava over his face.”
They tailed Wilde onto Webster Street, where he spoke to an unknown woman and there appeared to be a transaction. He was detained and searched shortly after, with officers finding a small bag of cannabis, £110 in notes, and an iPhone with “text messages received indicative of drug supply”.
They returned to the house on Grainger Avenue. Wilde initially denied knowledge of the address, but then said: “There’s weed in there. I’ll just show you where it is, it’s easier that way.”
In total, police seized 49.19g of cocaine worth up to £3,443, 319g of amphetamines with a street value up to £3,190, 296.05g of psilocybin (magic mushrooms) with a street value up to £2,960, and 9,750.22g of various cannabis products worth up to £128,295. In total, the stash was worth up to £137,888.
Police also found two “hunting style zombie knives” in the house, as well as £5,000 cash.
Ms Darling said: “In interview the defendant fully admitted his part in the support and possession of class A and B drugs on behalf of another, who he refused to name. He said he had a drug debt of £30,000 he was trying to pay off. He stored the drugs at his aunt’s address which was were they were seized.”
Wilde, of Abbott Drive, Bootle, pleaded guilty to four counts of possession with intent to supply class A and B drugs (cocaine, amphetamines, magic mushrooms, cannabis), two counts of possession of an offensive weapon in a private place, and possession of criminal property.
He had four previous convictions for seven offences, with all four convictions relating to possession with intent to supply cannabis and class A drugs.
Des Lennon, defending, said: “The defendant was arrested having been pursued by police and a substantial amount of drug-related activity was effectively revealed. He was very frank, open and honest with the police.
“He didn’t seek to disguise anything other than not being able to reveal who he was working for, and that was simply done in interest of his own self preservation. He was in debt to a substantial sum of money and he was working to pay that debt off.”
Mr Lennon added: “I ask the court to have regard to what he has been doing in custody, because he is using his time well. He has been on a drugs-related course. He has found that experience valuable to assist him in coming to terms with the fact that he has been a drug addict himself, he has been in criminal activity.
“He has been working in refurbishing furniture, restoring furniture, sanding chairs for example. A modest pastime, but time which is being spent usefully. He hopes to go and work in the kitchens in due course.
“He hopes that further opportunities will be made available to him because he intends to use his time constructively while serving his sentence. He’s learning a harsh lesson. He doesn’t seek to blame anyone other than himself and he’s hoping to do well on his release. He’s seeking to make changes.”
The judge, Recorder Alexander Leach KC, sentenced Wild to two years and eight months in prison.
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