A 46-year-old motorist arrested in Newport, Wales, on multiple drug-related charges begged to finish his McDonald's chips as police searched his vehicle. Imtiaz Ali, of Ebenezer Terrace, Newport, was stopped by Gwent Police on November 2 while parked in the drive-through area of the fast food restaurant.
Officers found seven boxes of nitrous oxide canisters, unopened balloons, and a hammer inside his car. Body-worn video released by Gwent Police shows Ali complaining to officers: 'I want to eat it bro.' An officer replied: 'You're not going to be chomping on chips while I'm searching you.'
Search and Seizure
Gwent Police's Community Action Team also searched Ali outside his car at Newport Retail Park, seizing a large amount of cash and a mobile phone. A subsequent search of his address recovered cannabis and three more mobile phones.
PC Sam Hall, from Gwent Police's Community Action Team, said: 'We spotted this defendant driving erratically and took the decision to stop his car while he was a customer parked in the drive-through area of McDonald's.'
Court Appearance and Sentence
Ali appeared at Newport Magistrates' Court on Wednesday 4 November, where he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply nitrous oxide for wrongful inhalation, a class C drug. He also pleaded guilty to possession of an offensive weapon in a public place and possession of a controlled drug of class B, cannabis.
He was sentenced to six months' imprisonment. PC Hall added: 'We recovered a hammer close to the driver's seat and 42 large and unopened nitrous oxide canisters, also known as NOS or laughing gas, from the boot of the car. Nitrous oxide, also called NOS, is a colourless gas used in medicine, dentistry and the catering industry, and was made a class C drug in November 2023.'
Police Comment
PC Hall said: 'The evidence of Ali's illegal dealing of nitrous oxide was overwhelming; he had little option but to plead guilty to the charges he faced in court. Ali was out on licence at this time of these offences and was profiting from the sale and supply of illegal drugs that cause fear, suffering and pain to vulnerable people and their families.'
