Dealer agreed to store kilo of cocaine at mum’s house
A DRUG dealer who agreed to store more than a kilo of cocaine worth up to £44,000 at the home he shared with his elderly mother has been ordered to pay back £2,500.
He was also found in possession of up to £4,000 worth of cannabis.
Aaran Sargeant, 29, was raided by police at his Blackwood home on June 23 when only his mother was present.
During the search, officers recovered a clear bag containing an unknown white substance.
A brick covered in brown tape with the logo “Montclaire” on it was also discovered as well THC cannabis vapes in a tote bag, weighing scales covered in brown herbal matter, and a large vacuum bag containing herbal matter.
The seized items were forensically examined and the white substance was found to be 135g of cocaine, of 84% purity, worth between £11,000 and £14,000.
The brown brick was found to be 1003g of cocaine, of 82% purity, worth between £23,000 and £30,000.
The vacuum pack bag was found to contain 417g of female flowering head cannabis with a street value of £4,710.
The defendant was later arrested and made no reply to the police caution.
He gave a prepared statement in which he claimed the cannabis was for his own personal use.
He later pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply cocaine and cannabis.
Sargeant, of Lewis Avenue, pleaded guilty on the basis he was a custodian of the cocaine on behalf of his cannabis dealer, in exchange for 7g of cocaine.
He said he took possession of the cocaine on the day it was seized by police.
He admitted purchasing cannabis in bulk which he supplied to a small group of people.
Sargeant was sentenced to a total of 30 months’ imprisonment.
A Proceeds of Crime Act hearing at Newport Crown Court on Friday, May 17, heard Sargeant benefited to the tune of £2,880 from his actions but only had assets worth £2,535.
He was ordered to pay that sum or serve four months’ imprisonment in default.