A KATESGROVE man who hid nearly 250 wraps of class A drugs in his trainers has been jailed for four years.
Police officers discovered crack cocaine and heroin in the Nike Air Jordans in the porch of Stacey-Edis Gyan-Boatey during a search of his home.
On September 13 last year, Gyan-Boatey was detained for a search under Section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act while he driving a Mercedes.
Thames Valley Police said its officers recovered two phones, one of which was identified as a drug dealing line phone ‘Biggs’.
Text messages attributed to one of the phones indicated they were directing runners.
They also seized £1,150 of cash.
Then, on January 31 this year, officers executed a warrant to search the 24-year-old’s home in Averley Walk.
They recovered two phones, two sim cards and nearly £4,000 in cash. The number for one of the sim cards was identified as a drug dealing line number.
The box and receipt for a pair of Nike Air Jordan’s was recovered from his bedroom. Officers also recovered a pair of Nike Air Jordan trainers from the porch and inside the trainers were a total of 245 wraps of crack cocaine and heroin. The drugs had a street value of around £2,000.
Gyan-Boatey was arrested on January 31, and charged the following day.
He appeared before Reading Crown Court on March 4, where he pleaded guilty to two counts of being concerned in the supply of class A drug, namely heroin and crack cocaine. Two counts of acquiring criminal property are to lie on file.
At a follow-up hearing on Friday, April 12, he was sentenced to four years.
Investigating officer Detective Constable James Packman, based at Reading police station, said: “We are committed to proactively target and prosecute drug-dealers.
“Our activity will be both visible and covert aimed at disrupting and pursuing offenders involved in the supply of illegal drugs.
“The information from the public around illegal drug supply in Reading plays an important role in developing intelligence into a proactive investigation.
“If you have any information that can help us, we would encourage you to report it to us by calling 101 or through the online reporting on our website.
“You can also provide information anonymously to independent charity Crimestoppers by ringing 0800 555 111 or via its website.”