Khan Gorgulu, the leader of a drug trafficking group, sent this selfie to his accomplice, Giovanni Spada, which the police later used to link him to cocaine and cannabis supply in Alderley Edge.

Gorgulu, 23, from Wilmslow, received a six-and-a-half-year prison sentence after Chester Crown Court convicted him of drug distribution. Spada, aged 37, was sentenced to six years in October after pleading guilty.

Their arrest followed a Cheshire Police operation targeting drug distribution in an affluent area known for its high-profile residents from January 2021 to February 2022. The duo imported large drug quantities from various UK locations, including Rochdale, Essex, and Wales, distributing them locally.

Police revealed Spada handled drug payments through his bank account, accumulating over £47,000 in two years. Gorgulu also received over £33,000 during the same period, besides engaging in gambling and investments in stocks and cryptocurrencies.

The operation initially targeted Spada, leading to his arrest on January 29, 2021, for a separate issue. Searches at his residence uncovered drugs, cash, and paraphernalia. Importantly, Gorgulu's dentist selfie among drug-related messages helped police confirm his identity.

Gorgulu was arrested on May 15, 2021. The police hailed the sentencing as a victory, emphasizing the outcome as proof that crime doesn't pay. Both men were prosecuted for their crimes, with Gorgulu aggressively denying his involvement until his conviction.