Drug dealer using dark web to sell fentanyl jailed for 13 years.

A drug dealer who sold substances including the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl on the dark web has been jailed for more than 13 years.

In what was described by police as the first case of its kind because of the sophisticated use of technology, Ross Brennan, 28, was sentenced for conspiring with his university friend Aarron Gledhill, 30, to import and sell class A drugs.

York crown court heard that Brennan, who continued to sell drugs despite knowing that some of his customers had died, sold substances including fentanyl, which is 100 times more potent than heroin.

Brennan, who “masterminded” the scheme, was said to have “exploited” Gledhill, sending him drugs from around the world. Gledhill was jailed for three years and nine months.

Brennan set up an “online supermarket” on the dark web and drugs were posted to thousands of online customers who could leave reviews of the service they received. They paid in the online currency bitcoin.

Brennan received the equivalent of around £450,000 during the time he offended, money he spent on watches, gold and drugs.

Sentencing Brennan, Judge Andrew Stubbs QC said: “You, Ross Brennan, are a 21st century criminal, sophisticated, arrogant and sure in the belief that you were untouchable.”

The judge continued: “Instead of using the internet to create, he [Ross Brennan] plumbed its darkest depths to set up a highly successful importation and supply of drugs, hide the proceeds of that crime and use it to satisfy his own deviant sexual desires ... The bitter truth is your computer-based activities have caused real and lasting harm in the outside world.”

Matthew Bean, prosecuting, told the court that some of Brennan’s customers had died but that it could not be proved that drugs supplied by him were to blame. Bean said the defendant was fully aware of the risks but continued selling drugs regardless.

As part of the investigation, North Yorkshire police used recovered Skype conversations between Brennan and Gledhill. In one chat, Brennan said: “I know there are bodies out there on me… if u do thousands n thousands n thousands… you can’t help but fuck up one time maybe”.