Newport criminal caught with £100,000 worth of drugs

David Brown, 48, from Newport was arrested after being pulled over driving a Volkswagen Golf car while disqualified on the city’s Nash Road.

The defendant had a woman passenger with him when police seized £400 cash and a mobile phone with drug-related messages on it.

Jason Howells, prosecuting, said officers discovered nearly half a kilogram of cocaine with a potential street value of £20,000 at Brown’s home address.

Also found during the search was 15kg of amphetamine worth £80,000.

Mr Howells told Cardiff Crown Court how Brown had played an “operational or management function” in the drugs chain.

MORE NEWS: Man charged with having £15,000 of illegal money

The defendant, of Walford Davies Drive, Newport pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to supply and possession of amphetamine with intent to supply.

He also admitted driving while disqualified and driving with no insurance.

The offences were committed on October 11 last year.

Brown had a similar previous conviction and was jailed for 32 months in 2016 for possession of amphetamine with intent to supply.

Ben Waters representing him said his client began taking cocaine following the break-up of his 25-year marriage.

His barrister told the court: “He built up a large debt in the thousands”.

Father-of-four Brown, he added, confessed his “stupidity” to him in getting involved in the drugs trade again.

“The defendant knows that class A drugs can blight lives and they have blighted his,” Mr Waters said.

The judge, Recorder Jonathan Rees KC, told Brown his previous trafficking conviction and the fact he had been dealing two types of drugs this time were aggravating factors.

The defendant was jailed for six years and told he would serve half of that sentence in custody before being released on licence.

He will be banned from driving for six months following his release.

Brown is also set to face a proceeds of crime hearing later this year.