Two men have been jailed after police discovered a large quantity of cannabis stashed in a rucksack inside a car outside a Cardiff hotel.
The arrest
Gareth Morris, 48, was captured on CCTV behaving suspiciously at the Etap Hotel in Cardiff on February 2. Footage showed him lingering outside a room where a resident had recently died – with suspicions that drugs may have been inside.
Morris was subsequently filmed placing a rucksack into a BMW parked at the hotel. Officers attended and detained two people, including 37-year-old Adam Aviet, who told police the drugs belonged to him.
Morris was found inside another resident’s room and arrested. A search revealed he was carrying a white plastic knuckleduster. When questioned about the rucksack, he claimed he believed it contained gym equipment.
What was found
A search of the bag uncovered 424g of cannabis. Aviet was also found with 1g of cannabis resin, and examination of Morris’s phone revealed messages connected to cannabis supply.
Sentencing
Both men, of Tyndall Street, Butetown, appeared at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court on Tuesday.
Morris pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply a Class B drug, offering to supply a Class B drug, and possession of an offensive weapon. The court heard he has previous convictions for possession of an offensive weapon, supplying amphetamine, and possession with intent to supply heroin and cocaine.
Aviet pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply Class B drugs. He has previous convictions for drug trafficking.
Recorder David Harris sentenced Morris to 22 months’ imprisonment and Aviet to 13 months’ imprisonment.
