A Brit “millionaire” drug lord with a huge Pablo Escobar tattoo was caught after using his burner phone to call the cops.
Andrew Savage, 33, ran a million-pound cocaine supply network while flaunting a life of luxury holidays, designer clothes and gold jewellery.
But the dealer’s lavish lifestyle came crashing down after investigators discovered a phone used to run his drugs line had previously been used by Savage himself to report a burglary.
READ MORE: Brit 24, ‘may be paralysed’ after diving into a holiday pool – family need £40,000 to fly him home
The crook, from Stockton, has now been jailed for 12 years after appearing at Teesside Crown Court on 4 September, as reported by Need To Know.
Savage admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine, possession with intent to supply cocaine and possession of criminal property.
It was estimated that over six years he sold more than £1million worth of drugs, funding a jet-set lifestyle.
Savage flaunted his wealth online while enjoying trips to destinations including the Bahamas, Cuba, Colombia, Thailand and Brazil.
He frequently travelled with friends and also splashed out on lavish holidays and expensive presents for his young daughter.
In one social media post captioned ‘His and Hers’, Savage posed his daughter in front of a black Lamborghini Urus while she sat in a children’s version of the £150,000 super-SUV.
But his criminal empire began to unravel on 19 November 2025 when Cleveland Police officers stopped a man acting suspiciously in Middlesbrough.
He was found carrying wraps of cocaine and two mobile phones.
Investigators discovered messages indicating he was selling drugs for someone known as ‘Machete’.
The messages revealed ‘Machete’ was allegedly running the line, arranging drug restocks and providing vehicles for dealers to make deliveries.
But further investigations uncovered a crucial mistake.
The court heard the phone number used by ‘Machete’ had been used in 2024 to report a burglary – and the caller was Savage.
Checks with the mobile phone company also revealed the phone and number were registered to him.
Officers became further suspicious after attending Savage’s home over a separate matter in December 2025, when they noted his expensive watch, necklace and ring.
Savage was arrested at a property in March following an investigation by Cleveland Police’s Dedicated Drugs Unit.
A search uncovered cocaine with an estimated street value of £5,000 alongside £20,000 in cash.
Investigators also found Savage had received more than £1.8million in third-party payments while profiting from the operation.
Detective Constable Maloney, from the Dedicated Drugs Unit, said: “Savage operated his criminal network under the radar by using a pseudonym.
“During this time, he was found to have profited significantly from the supply of cocaine, earning more than a million pounds through expensive holidays, cars and jewellery.
“Following the arrest of another individual, a thorough investigation took place to identify who ‘machete’ was and the level he was operating in through the recruitment of drug dealers in Cleveland.
“This led us to Savage and seizing cocaine and cash within his property.
“The sentence handed to Savage is a testament to his criminality and how he exploited others to do his dirty work while he enjoyed the rewards.
“Thankfully it has all come crashing down on him and he is now spending time behind bars.”
READ MORE: Thief takes sandwiches from a Greggs fridge – then turns back at the door for CRISPS
