A homeless spice dealer was caught with drugs and cash in a self-storage unit, leading to a 16-month prison sentence at Cardiff Crown Court. Darren Davis, 39, of no fixed abode, had pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of spice with intent to supply, possession of cannabis with intent to supply, and possession of criminal property.
Caught in the act
On June 2 this year, officers on patrol in the Adamsdown area of Cardiff saw a group of known drug-users following the defendant down the street. A stop and search found Davis carrying six bags of synthetic cannabinoids, commonly referred to as spice, worth up to £750, as well as £1,587 in cash. He was arrested.
Police then searched Davis' room at the Wallich hostel where he was living and found a further 24 bags of spice, a quantity of loose spice, almost £3,000 in cash, weighing scales, phones, and 22g of cannabis.
In his interview, Davis gave a prepared statement saying the spice was for his own personal use. He denied knowledge of the cannabis and said the money was a mix of gambling winnings, inheritance, and money owed by family and friends. He was released under investigation while the seized phones were examined.
Storage unit discovery
As the investigation developed, officers discovered Davis had been visiting a unit at Pink Storage. On July 2, they executed a warrant at Unit 11 and found another £10,000 worth of spice and £400 in cash.
The investigation also led to the home of Davis' partner, Catherine Evans, 36, of Aberystwyth Street, Splott. Officers found 50g of spice, £4,420 in cash in a safe, a Nokia burner phone, and an electric bike. Officers returned to Davis' hostel to arrest him, where a second search found weighing scales, a bag of spice, and £550 in cash. Davis was found with another £830 in cash in his pockets.
Sentencing
Davis has 26 previous convictions for 43 offences, including production of cannabis in 2016, possession of heroin with intent to supply in 2017, and possession of heroin with intent to supply in 2020, for which he was sentenced to 40 months in prison.
Evans had pleaded guilty to possession of spice with intent to supply, being concerned in the supply of spice, and possession of criminal property. She has no previous convictions.
Recorder Greg Bull KC said it was clear Davis had been operating as a street dealer in the Adamsdown area, and he was satisfied that Evans only became involved because of her relationship with her partner.
With a one-third discount for his guilty pleas, Davis was sentenced to 16 months in prison. He will serve one-third of the sentence in custody before being released on licence. Evans received a six-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months, with a rehabilitation course and a mental health treatment requirement.
