Weapon Order Leads Police to Cocaine Dealer in Swansea

A man “fascinated” by weapons was caught dealing drugs after Border Force officers intercepted a parcel containing an extendable baton addressed to his Swansea home. 🚨

Andrew Hanley, 33, of Pantycelyn Road, Townhill, was sentenced at Swansea Crown Court after officers discovered 623g of cocaine, over half a kilo of benzocaine (a cutting agent), weighing scales, empty snap-bags, a sheathed knife, £660 in cash, and cannabis during a search of his property.

The court heard that Border Force officers intercepted the parcel containing the “asp” baton on November 2 last year and alerted South Wales Police. When officers visited Hanley’s home on March 9, he told them he had purchased the weapon on Snapchat.

Upon being cautioned, Hanley reportedly said “I’m f***ed” before answering “no comment” to all questions in interview.

Prosecutor Dean Pulling told the court that Hanley has previous convictions for possessing offensive weapons including a knuckleduster, a baton, and martial arts nunchucks. In October 2020, he took a large kitchen knife into Swansea Central police station asking to be arrested, saying: “I want to be locked up to sort my head out.”

Defence barrister Andrew Evans said his client was “fascinated by weapons” and it was unlikely that when Hanley bought the asp online, he realised he had “set off a chain of events which would lead to police officers turning up at his door.” Evans added that Hanley’s drug use had led to debts which resulted in him dealing to fund his habit.

Judge Huw Rees told the defendant that at 33, he would be “wasting his life if he carried on with his involvement with drugs and weapons.”

Hanley received a 42-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to importation of an offensive weapon, possession of cocaine with intent to supply, and possession of cannabis. He will serve up to half the sentence in custody before being released on licence. 👮‍♂️