Littleport Drug Dealer Committed To Crown Court For Sentence

POLICE seized cocaine, cannabis and £1,600 in £20 notes when a drug dealer s flat was raided in Littleport. Occupant Anthony Swift admitted that he sold cocaine to fund his own habit – he bought the class A drug in bulk, and sold hundreds of pounds worth

POLICE seized cocaine, cannabis and £1,600 in £20 notes when a drug dealer's flat was raided in Littleport.

Occupant Anthony Swift admitted that he sold cocaine to fund his own habit - he bought the class A drug in bulk, and sold hundreds of pounds worth of the substance to acquaintances.

Appearing at Ely courthouse on Thursday, 56-year-old Swift, of Victoria Street, Littleport, admitted possessing cocaine with intent to supply, and possessing cannabis on August 7.

When police went to Swift's flat, he handed over a blue tin of herbal cannabis and a pot containing cocaine, said prosecutor Yetunde Fawehinmi.

A search of the property followed, and more drugs were found, along with a roll of banknotes.

When arrested, Swift said he used herbal cannabis to help himself come off cocaine, and bought 0.75 of an ounce of cocaine for between £1,000 and £1,200. He reckoned that about £400 of the cash had come from selling cocaine.

Solicitor Adam Haselhurst said: "He tells me he had a serious cocaine habit for seven years, but has not taken any for the last eight weeks. He did have a habit that he had to fund.

"He was not selling for commercial gain, but to fund his own habit. He bought in bulk and sold to acquaintances, it was social supply rather than selling out on the street to all and sundry."

Swift is in poor health, and suffers from emphysema, he said.

"Being arrested is perhaps the best thing that has happened to him, he is now engaged with the community drugs intervention programme."

The court committed Swift for sentence at Cambridge Crown Court.