3 days Ago By [email protected] (Philip Dewey)
A teenage drug dealer was found in possession of up to £12,000 worth of amphetamine when police raided his home. It was the second time he had been found in possession of large quantities of the drug. Joseph Tucker, 19, was visited by police who conducted a search warrant at his home in Newport on September 20.
In the defendant's bedroom was a Nike shoulder bag which contained four bags of amphetamine which amounted to 1.2kg. A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Wednesday heard police also found 27g of cannabis, £2,000 in cash and a fake Rolex watch.
There was also a small amount of cocaine which the defendant claimed was for his own personal use. For the latest court reports, sign up to our crime newsletter here Prosecutor Jeffrey Jones said the amphetamine had a street value between £6,000 and £12,000, and a wholesale value between £1,300 and £3,700. The cash was discovered after Tucker threw it over a wall, hoping it wouldn't be discovered.
Tucker, of Windsor Road, later pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply class B drugs, possession of class B drugs and possession of criminal property. The court heard he has one previous conviction for possession with intent to supply amphetamine. Mr Jones said the wholesale value of the amphetamine involved in the two prosecutions was worth between £1,690 and £3,350.
In mitigation, Matthew Comer said his client was realistic that only an immediate custodial sentence would be available to the court. He said the defendant recognises he has done something "incredibly stupid". Judge Shomon Khan sentenced Tucker to 22 months detention in a young offenders' institute.
He will serve half the sentence in custody before he is released to serve the remainder on licence. This interactive tool allows you to check the latest crime statistics for your area:.
