A MAN has been jailed after police officers found drugs worth between £20,370 and £22,690 as well as £28,000 in cash at his home near Wrexham.

Lewis Richards was sentenced to five years imprisonment after he admitted possessing cannabis, cannabis resin, ecstasy and cocaine with intent to supply.

Mold Crown Court heard police had recovered half a kilo of cannabis, 3.8 kgs of cannabis resin, more than 320 grammes of ecstasy and about 70 grammes of cocaine following two separate searches of Richards’ property on Maple Drive, Acrefair.

During the first search on March 10, officers found cannabis worth £6,730 hidden in a kitchen cupboard along with almost £8,000 in cash, scales and sandwich bags.

A second search on May 15 revealed a 3kg bag of cannabis resin worth up to £4,500 buried in a black bag under a tree house in the garden.

Around 70 grammes of cocaine was found in a kitchen drawer along with more cannabis in the fridge and 322 grammes of ecstasy.

The value of drugs found in the second search was between £20,370 and £22,690.

In addition £28,000 in cash was found in shoe boxes, carrier bags and in a chest of drawers and Richards, 30, was also found to have £422 in cash on his person.

Officers also found a ‘tick lists’ suggesting dealing and supplying and text messages were found on a mobile phone, which was revealed when it went off during the search, consistent with street dealing.

One read: “How much do you do a g for?”

Richards, who has no previous convictions, gave no comment answers when interviewed on May 15 and 16.

Robert Edwards, defending, said his client was “a realist” who knew he was going to prison.

Mr Edwards said: “He does seem to show remorse and he is learning a hard lesson – I can’t put it any better than that.

“He didn’t think he was doing something that attracted a prison sentence of such length.”

Mr Edwards added that Richards was using his time wisely in
prison and was working on cars while there.

Judge Niclas Parry said: “The reality is that you’ve become embroiled in a very large drug enterprise and you were is possession of a very significant amount of harmful drugs.

“It was so lucrative that even after the police had been to see you and you knew they were on to you, you still thought it was worth doing.”

Following sentencing, Sgt Ian Evans said: “I am pleased with this sentence which will keep Richards off the streets for some considerable time. This conviction is directly related to the assistance and information we received from the local community.

“I hope that the community too will be pleased that their cooperation has led to a significant prison sentence for someone who sought to cause harm by supplying illegal drugs.”