A Newport drugs boss who filmed himself boasting about his luxury lifestyle in a Dubai penthouse has been jailed and ordered to hand over assets seized by police.
Jerome Samuels, 32, of Monnow Way in Bettws, funded his extravagant getaways through his managerial role in a criminal enterprise selling heroin, crack cocaine and cocaine. The father-of-four’s reign came to an end when he was caught with more than £50,000-worth of class A drugs weighing over 1kg earlier this year.
Samuels pleaded guilty to a catalogue of drug offences and was jailed for four years and eight months. He has now returned to court after prosecutors launched Proceeds of Crime Act proceedings to recoup some of his ill-gotten gains.
Prosecutor Tabitha Walker told the court it was agreed that Samuels had benefited from his offending by £89,257.90. She said the defendant’s only available asset was a vehicle worth £16,350 that police had seized. Judge Celia Hughes made a confiscation order for the full £16,350.
Arrest and discovery 🚨
At a sentencing hearing earlier this year, Ms Walker said Samuels was arrested by Gwent Police officers on patrol in an unmarked car in the Bettws area on 26 January. Officers found more than £5,000 in cash inside his Vauxhall Insignia.
Police also discovered a key for a Volkswagen Tiguan SUV which they traced to Maesglas Crescent. A search of the vehicle uncovered 205.8g of crack cocaine with a potential street value of £20,020, 651.5g of heroin worth £22,200, and 491.8g of cocaine which could be sold for £12,000.
‘MTV Cribs’ video 📱
Detectives discovered incriminating evidence on Samuels’ mobile phone, including a video of him showing off in Dubai. “Welcome to this week’s episode of MTV Cribs,” Samuels quipped as he filmed the hotel room he funded through his criminal activities.
The defendant admitted possession with intent to supply heroin, possession with intent to supply crack cocaine, possession with intent to supply cocaine, and possession of criminal property.
As she jailed him, Judge Hughes told Samuels:
“It’s clear that you were enjoying the life of a drug dealer. You were showing off your lavish lifestyle in a video I have seen of you staying in a penthouse suite at a top end hotel in Dubai.”
PC Thomas Meazey, of Gwent Police, said:
“Jerome Samuels funded a lavish and extravagant lifestyle through his criminal activities. The supply of drugs is not a victimless crime, it causes harm and misery not only to those involved and their families but also the wider community. We welcome the sentence imposed on Samuels and hope that it demonstrates that those involved in such criminal activity are not untouchable.”
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