Cardiff dealer with bullets claimed he was “taken advantage of”

A Cardiff drug dealer caught with cocaine and ammunition told police he had learning difficulties and people “took advantage of him”.

Kareem Abdo, 30, was discovered at a property in Cardiff on 17th February when officers executed a search warrant. He was found inside with a woman and handed over a red iPhone, providing the PIN number to police.

Messages on the phone revealed Abdo was involved in the supply of cocaine. On two occasions, the defendant had supplied “high quality cocaine”, Cardiff Crown Court heard on Monday.

Prosecutor Nik Strobl said a subsequent search was carried out at Abdo’s home in Butetown, where officers found a small blue plastic bag containing three bullets hidden among clothes. The ammunition was identified as suitable for either self-loading pistols or sub machine-guns.

During his police interview, the defendant said he had learning difficulties and “people often took advantage of him”.

Abdo, of Alice Street, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of class A drugs and possession of ammunition without a certificate. The court heard he has no previous convictions for drug trafficking or weapons offences, though his last conviction was for possession of cannabis.

Judge Catherine Richards sentenced Abdo to 25 months imprisonment. She told the defendant he would serve 40% of his sentence in custody before being released to serve the remainder on licence.