Dealer jailed after £64,100 drugs haul

Police discovered tens of thousands of pounds worth of drugs hidden at a Norfolk home in one of the largest finds in the county for the last two years.

The drugs, mainly heroin and cocaine, were found by a police sniffer dog hidden in a garden and the footwell of a car at a property in west Norfolk, after a warrant was issued to search the property.

Norwich Crown Court was told that the amount of heroin found at John McCabe's home in Chalk Road, Walpole St Peter, near King's Lynn, was the largest find in the county for the last two years.

A police dog found 489g of heroin with a street value of £48,500 buried in the garden, 130g of heroin with the street value of £13,600 in a car and £2,000 worth of cocaine.

McCabe, 27, appeared before Norwich Crown Court for sentence after he pleaded guilty to possession of heroin with intent to supply and possession of cocaine with intent to supply.

He had also admitted possessing a prohibited weapon, pepper spray.

He was sentenced to six-and-a-half-years in prison.

Charles Kellett, prosecuting, told the court that during the police search officers also found two safes, one with £10,980 in cash in it and another with £8,375.

There were three cars at the property including a BMW and Honda car - where the 130g of heroin had been found in the passenger seat footwell.

The court was told McCabe had previous offences for dishonesty and violent disorder but not for drugs.

In mitigation, Ian James said McCabe had been a drug addict since his teens and had never done anything like this before and had pleaded

guilty at the earliest opportunity.

The court was told that he had got the pepper spray from the internet and that there had been no evidence of any aggressive use of it.

Judge Daniel Worsley said: "Heroin and cocaine have a grave affect on those to whom it is pedalled and on members of the public who are victims of crimes caused by it.

"Those who chose to engage in supplying it at this level can only be described as being truly wicked."

Supt Nick Dean said: "Such

a case demonstrates the commitment of my officers to take a pro-active stance against anyone possessing or dealing in drugs.

"This was a significant seizure, in fact the largest seizure we have seen in this part of Norfolk for some considerable time, which impacted directly on the supply of drugs into West Norfolk and beyond.

"I have always stated that our intention is to remain vigilant and act on information received, and such operations demonstrate such commitment to the public of West Norfolk.

"The message to such offenders is simple - if you deal in drugs expect my officers to call on you."