A drug dealer described as “hapless” was apprehended by law enforcement with 150 grams of cocaine when he accidentally called the emergency services line on a phone he was using for illegal transactions, leading to his imprisonment.
Darren Eastwood, aged 31, pleaded guilty to distributing cocaine after being discovered with the Class A substance and £79,500 in cash at two locations in Sevenoaks, Kent. Eastwood’s inadvertent phone call to the emergency line 112 enabled investigators to verify that the device, utilized for communicating with drug users, belonged to him.
Authorities stated that Eastwood essentially confirmed their suspicions, sealing his own fate, and subsequently received a four-year prison sentence.
Kent Police disclosed that they analyzed call records from the number and identified it as being used in the same areas as another device registered to Eastwood. Detectives uncovered that both phones had dialed the same number at one point and found a message promoting “Christmas deals” sent to drug users on December 24, 2025.
The fateful call to 112, primarily utilized by EU visitors for emergencies, was made by Eastwood on January 11, with operators hearing only background noise upon answering. Subsequently, police called back to ensure the caller’s well-being, but the person who responded, a man who declined to provide his name, claimed it was a pocket dial.
On January 16, Eastwood was arrested on Hitchen Hatch Road with cocaine wraps, two mobile phones, and cash totaling £79,500. He admitted in court on January 19 to charges of involvement in the supply of class A drugs, possession with intent to supply, and possession of criminal funds.
Detective Constable Mark Simcox emphasized that the call was pivotal in Eastwood’s conviction, stating that it confirmed suspicions of his drug involvement. Eastwood was sentenced to four years in prison after confessing to the charges in Maidstone Crown Court.
Det Con Simcox praised the officers’ commitment to combating drug operations in Kent, highlighting the removal of a significant amount of drugs from circulation, Eastwood’s incarceration, and the seizure of illicit funds intended for criminal use.
