A WOULD-be cocaine dealer who offered ‘banging sniff for sale’ was arrested following a major Gwent Police organised crime operation codenamed Washington.

Erfan Kamber, 35, was picked up by officers when they raided a “safe house” used by heroin and cocaine dealers in Newport’s Cyril Street.

He went on trial with 11 other men earlier this year after being charged with two counts of conspiracy to supply the class A drugs.

Kamber was due to face a retrial after a jury failed to reach verdicts but the prosecution decided not to pursue the case after he admitted offering to supply cocaine.

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Prosecutor Heath Edwards told Cardiff Crown Court: “The defendant came to the police’s attention as a result of Operation Washington.

“He was arrested at a safe house that was used for the storing and cutting of drugs.

“Mr Kamber was a good friend of a man called Parvis Ishaq.”

Mr Edwards added: “The defendant sent one text message in February 2019 offering ‘banging sniff for sale’.”

Judge Richard Twomlow heard how Kamber, of Corporation Road, Newport, assaulted a police officer as he was being taken into custody by throwing a cup of water at them.

The officer was off work for 14 days as a result.

The defendant also had three previous convictions for the possession of cannabis and one for the possession of an offensive weapon – a knitting needle.

Kamber, represented by Jonathan Lewis, had already served the equivalent of an 18-month prison sentence while he was remanded in custody ahead of his trial.

Judge Twomlow jailed the defendant for six months, suspended for 12 months, and ordered him to undertake 100 hours of unpaid work and a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

Seven men were convicted after the Operation Washington trial.

Aftab Hussain, 31, of Laburnum Drive, Newport, and Lewis Farrell, 21, of Herbert Walk, Pill, Newport, were found guilty of conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine between November 1, 2018 and July 26, 2019.

Five other men – Parvis Ishaq, aged 30, of Cyril Street, Murtaza Hussain, aged 23, of Capel Crescent, Avatar Hussain, aged 26, of Bishpool View, Rizwaan Hussain, aged 23, of Llanthewy Road, all Newport, and Mohammed Ali, aged 38, of no fixed abode – pleaded guilty to the same charges during the early stages of the trial.

Trial prosecutor Mr Edwards said the seven were all part of a “successful and lucrative business” that used a central pay-as-you-go mobile phone line to meet the needs of hundreds of customers.

He told the jury of eight men and four women: “They all worked together as part of a conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine to drug addicts in Newport and beyond.

“Each defendant assisted in a different way. It was a successful and lucrative business. The telephone was a valuable commodity.”

He added that group text messages would be sent out to hundreds of drug addicts advertising products with prices and advising potential customers, “Hurry while stocks last.”

The court heard how “text bombs or flares” were used to advertise class A drugs for sale to existing clients.

Drug users from all over South Wales would call the number, known as the ‘Goshi’ line, and place orders for heroin and crack cocaine before a “runner” would deliver the merchandise in return for cash after meeting them in Newport city centre, Mr Edwards said.

The number was contacted on average 234 times a day over a nine-month period.

The seven were remanded in custody and are awaiting sentence.