Police seized cannabis vapes and refills, cannabis and cash when they searched the home of a businessman who had just been spared jail for producing cannabis. Officers visited the flat of Kash Brookes over a report of a burglary.
But they uncovered just traces of cannabis and cannabis-growing equipment. "One suspects someone broke in and stole his crop," said prosecutor Steven Bailey as Brookes was jailed for possessing drugs with intent to supply.
Cannabis in an Audi outside his property was for personal use - but the "THC vaping products" - THC is the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana - were found in a quantity of 30 cartridges and 23 cartridge refill bottles.
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Mr Bailey said the cartridges were quite a novel item. A police officer put the price range of those at £12 to £50 per unit.
"Deal bags" of cannabis were recovered from the garden - the price attached to the amount, just under 70 grams, was put at about £700, if sold by the gram, Nottingham Crown Court heard.
A phone attributed to the defendant showed messages of sourcing edible cannabis products and THC cartridges for sale - but there was also evidence of wholesale dealing and communications with someone about the potential supply of cocaine from Amsterstam.
The phone contained images from Instagram of edible products and vapes, and audio of him admitting selling cannabis.
The haul included amphetamine paste - 923 grams - with a value of almost £4,000 - if sold by the ounce, and the seizure of nearly £8,000 cash. Brookes, 32, of Widecombe Lane, Clifton, pleaded guilty to possessing drugs with intent to supply and breaching a suspended prison sentence.
Recorder Balraj Bhatia sentenced Brookes to 27 months in prison and ordered a confiscation hearing be adjourned. He said Brookes had a history of previous convictions, "which make it plain you have been addicted to cannabis, involved in the production of cannabis and involved in the sale of cannabis".
"It is a pity because clearly there seems to be a side of you capable of earning legitimate money; a legitimate businessman," he told Brookes in the dock. "I saw jewellery and receipts for watches recovered from your home address and we saw thousands of pounds was seized."
Luc Chignell, mitigating on Thursday (February 9), said Brookes is no longer a cannabis user and is now a successful businessman reparing mobile phones with businesses in Sutton-in-Ashfield and Clifton. He has bought land, has a mortgage with his partner, who is pregnant with his child.
Mr Chignell added: "He has now found his feet."
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