Swindon man nicknamed 'Hammer' part of £64k heroin and crack cocaine operation

A drug dealer from Swindon has been jailed after dealing heroin and crack cocaine.

Taylor Burt - who went by the street name of 'Hammer' - ran a drug dealing operation for just 12 weeks before he was caught.

The 20-year-old pleaded guilty to two counts of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs.

He was jailed for four and a half years at a hearing at Swindon Crown Court on Monday 1 November.

How the police investigation unfolded

Wiltshire Police identified a mobile phone used to sell illegal drugs in the Penhill area and linked it to his street name 'Hammer'.

In December 2020, officers started carrying out extensive enquiries and digital forensic work to link this phone number to Burt.

The investigation proved he was supplying crack cocaine and heroin, mainly within the Penhill area.

Detective Sergeant Joe Shanklin said the prison time Burt will serve is a warning to other criminals.

"This is Burt’s first conviction for a drug-related offence and our case made it clear that we believe he was only running this drug line for just 12 weeks," he said.

"However, that three-month period has landed him with a jail term of more than four years.

"We hope this acts as a stern warning to others involved in this type of crime that both the police and the courts take Class A drug dealing incredibly seriously, and you should expect to receive a lengthy sentence if and when you are caught."

He praised PC White - the officer in the case - for his work on the investigation. He described him as a "tenacious officer" who will "get the job done"

"This is a great example of his hard work and dedication to the cause, of which I am very proud," he said.