Dealer's Seven-Year Sentence After "Huge" Drugs Find In Brighton

A drug-dealer from Brighton who evaded police for months, even after a car-chase, has been jailed for seven years.

Lee Jones, 32, of Richmond Terrace in Brighton, appeared before Lewes Crown Court on 19 March following an investigation into the supply of Class A drugs in Brighton and Hove.

His route to appearing before a judge was not a simple one.

At about 2pm on 14 February 2019, a suspect car failed to stop for police in the Rottingdean area and sped off.

Officers later found it abandoned in Findon Road in Brighton, where police seized a small amount of cannabis and what they described as a "huge number of wraps of heroin and cocaine" from just outside the vehicle.

The estimated street value of the drugs was in the region of £16,000.

Officers specialising in DNA analysis got to work, and discovered that DNA on a jacket left at the scene matched that of the defendant.

The heroin and crack cocaine packaging was also forensically matched to the defendant.

Then nearly eight months later, on 4 October 2019, officers located a further suspect vehicle in central Brighton.

Its driver did not stop for police, but two male suspects ran off from the car in Queens Road at the junction with North Road.

Officers arrested Jones nearby, where they found that he had over £2,500 in cash.

Two large wraps of heroin were recovered from the vehicle, again DNA from the packaging was matched to the defendant.

He was released under investigation while enquiries into the matter continued.

Almost a month later, on 2 November 2020, officers executed a warrant at a property in Richmond Terrace as part of the investigation.

While officers were searching the premises, the defendant appeared at the front door.

Next to him was a black bag containing a large quantity of heroin and cocaine, and around £2,650 in cash was found on his person.

During a search of the property, officer seized a further £3,600 and further quantities of Class A drugs.

He was arrested and charged with being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine, being concerned in the supply of heroin and acquiring, or using, or having possession of criminal property.

Jones pleaded guilty to the offences and was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment.

Detective Mark Pinder, of the Brighton and Hove Community Investigation Team, said:

"This was a lengthy and complex investigation and I would like to thank the officers involved in helping to secure this conviction.

"Those who cause harm in our communities by supplying illegal drugs will absolutely not be tolerated by Brighton and Hove Police.

"Our number one priority is keeping the public safe.

"We are pleased the court recognises the severity of these offences by serving Jones with a considerable custodial sentence and urge anyone with information about drug dealing to report it to us so we can take action."