Clear message to drug dealers after Ashford man is jailed for 3-years

A drug dealer from Ashford has been sentenced to three years in prison after police officers detained a man in New Street on Thursday 26th October 2023

Uttam Gurung, 26, was found to have 50 wraps of class A drugs – including ‘crack’ cocaine and heroin – in his clothing, when he was detained by the officers.

It followed an investigation by Kent Police’s County Lines and Gangs Team, in which Gurung’s car was identified by detectives as being linked to drug dealing.

The car was subsequently searched by local patrols, who found cannabis, a cannabis grinder, a mobile phone and a quantity of cash inside the vehicle.

Charged

A further search of Gurung’s home address uncovered a larger amount of money and a second mobile phone. Gurung, from Willesborough was charged with two counts of possession with intent to supply a class A drug and two counts of supplying class A substances. He pleaded guilty to all charges and, on Friday 26 January at Canterbury Crown Court, was sentenced to three years in prison.

Detective Constable Andy Julier said: 

‘The misuse of drugs causes no end of misery to people’s lives. We are sending out a very clear message to drug dealers: their attempts to exploit some of the most vulnerable people in our communities will not be tolerated.

‘Our use of both uniformed and plain clothes officers is making it very hard for criminals to sell drugs in this county and we are determined to keep these people off our streets.’