A cocaine dealer has been jailed after police found someone "house sitting" his home in Ammanford and tracked him down to Sussex. Ian Stanton, 58, was wanted by detectives in Wales after officers forced entry to his property and discovered a stash of cocaine, drugs paraphernalia, and thousands of pounds in cash.
Search warrant uncovers drugs and cash
Swansea Crown Court heard that after gathering intelligence on Stanton, police executed a search warrant at his house in Ammanford on August 14 this year. Officers forced entry to the property and found large amounts of white powder - later confirmed to be cocaine - weighing scales, plastic packets, multiple phones, and some £5,500 cash.
Stanton was not at home, but in the property was 63-year-old Margaret Lewis, who told officers she was "house sitting" for Stanton while he was away. An investigation was launched into Stanton's whereabouts, and he was located and arrested by Sussex Police before being brought back to Wales.
Sentences handed down
Ian Stanton, of Maes y Glyn, Ammanford, and Margaret Lewis, of Tir y Dail Lane, Ammanford, had both previously pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to supply when they returned to the dock for sentencing.
With discounts for their guilty pleas, Stanton was sentenced to 38 months in prison, and Lewis was sentenced to 18 months in prison suspended for two years. Lewis must also complete 200 hours of unpaid work and a rehabilitation requirement.
Police comment on disruption
Speaking after the sentencing, Dyfed-Powys Police detective constable Steven Thomas said: "This is another example of intelligence-led policing making Dyfed-Powys a hostile area to people who deal drugs.
"This was an organised operation that saw Stanton and Lewis putting large amounts of class A drugs into our communities. Disrupting this activity has helped us to make them safer for everyone."
