Two Newport men have been sentenced to prison after police discovered cocaine and thousands of pounds in cash during a vehicle stop last Halloween.
Jonathan Tovey (21) and Corey Gibbons (22) were arrested after officers stopped their Vauxhall Corsa, which was emanating a strong cannabis odour.
During the arrest, Gibbons boasted about his drug-dealing profits, telling police he had funded dental treatment in Turkey for himself and his partner. “Cocaine was power,” he declared, expressing frustration at losing his drug lines.
Police recovered £6,280 in cash and 16g of cocaine from Gibbons, while Tovey was found with 21g of cocaine worth £1,730 and £1,120 in cash. Officers also seized designer items, including a Gucci cap, from Gibbons’s residence.
At Cardiff Crown Court, both men admitted possession with intent to supply cocaine, possession of criminal property and possession of cannabis.
Defence barrister Dan Jones told the court: “He didn’t have a job. It seemed like easy money and at the time it seemed perhaps something to laugh about and boast about. But now, when you’re sat in Cardiff prison staring down the barrel of a lengthy custodial sentence, it’s not quite as funny as it was.”
Recorder Robin Rouch sentenced both men to 28 months in prison, stating: “You both had a significant role, there was an expectation of significant financial advantage and again you both had some awareness and understanding of the scale of the operation. The money found on the two of you demonstrates this.”
