A drug dealer escaped a police raid wearing only boxer shorts while his accomplice attempted to flush £10,000 worth of heroin down a toilet, causing a bathroom flood.

Dramatic Escape During Raid

In February 2023, officers raided a flat in Bestwood, Nottinghamshire. Andre McGowan, 36, climbed out a first-floor window and ran barefoot down a path, tossing a bag of drugs over a garden fence. Bodycam footage shows an officer shouting: “Police, stay where you are! He’s out the window in his boxer shorts.” Colleagues chased and tackled McGowan nearby.

Court Sentences and Drug Operation

McGowan received a 12-year prison sentence at Nottingham Crown Court after pleading guilty to supplying crack cocaine and heroin. He ran the “Vic Line” drug network across the city for six years. Authorities arrested accomplice Shabezz Wheeler-Spink, 30, from Basford, Nottingham, the same morning at his partner’s home. Wheeler-Spink tried flushing two bags containing 104g of heroin, but they clogged the toilet and flooded the bathroom. He admitted supplying Class A drugs and possessing cannabis, earning a three-year jail term.

Evidence Uncovered

Investigators confirmed McGowan and Wheeler-Spink operated the “Vic Line,” with Wheeler-Spink delivering to users. McGowan enjoyed a lavish lifestyle, including trips to Dubai and Turkey. Police seized the “Vic Line” phone, which featured mass texts like “Morning!” to signal orders were open. Customers called the line to buy drugs.

Another phone held a video showing what appeared to be 11kg blocks of cocaine and heroin. Records showed 70 messages sent to contacts in just 10 minutes on one occasion. Raids yielded large quantities of drugs, cash, a metal press for compacting narcotics, and an Aldi bag with £35,000 worth of heroin and crack cocaine that McGowan threw into a garden.

Officers confiscated £28,186 in cryptocurrency and bank assets from McGowan. At Wheeler-Spink’s arrest site, they found two lock knives, a dagger, a sheathed knife, and nearly £12,000 worth of cocaine and cannabis.

Investigator’s Comments

Investigating officer Liz Scott stated: “McGowan thought he could run from the police but failed spectacularly. By climbing out a first-floor window in only his boxer shorts, he grazed his feet while attempting to flee and had to be treated in hospital as a result.”