Tanashi Sam, aged 39, of Cuin Road, Smethwick, West Midlands, was sentenced to three years and nine months behind bars at Stafford Crown Court on Thursday (17 November) after admitting two counts of possession with intent to supply crack cocaine and heroin and two counts of being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin. On 2 February last year, we investigated reports of suspicious activity on Ellerbeck in Tamworth. We spotted Sam in the area and detained him for a search. He initially stopped for officers but then tried to escape by running down a nearby cycle track. We watched him try to throw away packages of drugs into hedges before he came back. These packages were seized, along with a mobile phone. The package was found to contain heroin and crack cocaine. He was also found in possession of £135 and a quantity of cannabis. We interviewed him and then released him under investigation. Then, on 7 October this year, we saw Sam in Tamworth again. He ran away when we approached him and tried to discard a drug package nearby. We recovered the package and found 34 deals of heroin and 59 deals of crack cocaine worth around £635. We arrested him and recovered a further mobile phone and £154 in cash. He was later charged in relation to offences committed on both occasions and then admitted them in court. Detective Sergeant Jon Bradbury, who dealt with the case, said: “Sam tried to escape officers twice and made efforts to hide his criminality in order to avoid punishment. I’m happy that these substances have been taken off our streets and another offender has been rightfully put behind bars.