A Maidstone dealer who hid Class A drugs under crockery in a kitchen sink is starting a prison sentence.
During January 2021, investigators from Kent Police’s County Lines and Gangs Team identified that a specific mobile phone was being used to supply heroin and cocaine to the town’s drug users.
Further enquiries led officers to confirm Omar Minsende held the phone and was dealing from his flat in Queen Anne Road.
Arrest
On 9 February 2021, patrols attended the premises where Minsende was arrested. Officers completed a search at the address and seized a quantity of herbal cannabis, a mobile phone and £2,500 in cash.
A further search recovered eight grams of crack cocaine, fifteen grams of heroin and some electronic scales that had been hidden in a sink under some crockery.
When analysed, the seized cannabis was found to have an estimated street value of approximately £1,500 and the cocaine and heroin was valued at £2,300. The seized phone was also identified as the one used to offer drugs for sale.
Minsende was later charged with being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine, being concerned in the supply of heroin and being concerned in the supply of cannabis.
Guilty
He pleaded guilty to the latter but not guilty to the heroin and crack cocaine indictments and, at Maidstone Crown Court was convicted following a trial. On Thursday 4 November, 30-year-old Minsende was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment.
A woman, aged 28, who was also arrested at the Queen Anne Road address on 9 February 2021, was later charged with being concerned in the supply of cannabis. She pleaded guilty at Maidstone Crown Court and was sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment on Monday 1 November.
Officer in the case, PC Matthew Ward, said: ‘The arrival of patrols at Minsende’s home address must have come as a surprise as evidenced by the effort to quickly hide cocaine and heroin under wet crockery in the sink.
‘We proactively work to identify who is supplying drugs using false names and mobile phones and, once dealers are arrested, our searches are always thorough.
‘Anybody supplying heroin or cocaine in Kent can expect a similar visit from our officers with the same result at court.’