A heroin addict allowed his home to be used for the storage and preparation of heroin and crack cocaine. He was discovered after abandoned packages of drugs contained his DNA.
The home of Carlos Veira, 57, in Cardiff was raided by police who found more than £1,000 worth of class A drugs. He later told police he agreed for dealers to take over his home to fund his own drug habit.
A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Tuesday, November 1 heard how police chased a man known to them on November 28, 2020, in Cardiff Bay. The man was seen outside a barber shop in Loudoun Square. He became nervous and ran from the officers but upon being detained, nothing was found in his possession.
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The police searched the area to look for packages which may have been dropped by the man, and located two plastic bags containing class A drugs. They were tested for DNA and a positive match was found with Veira.
On May 1, 2021, Veira's home in Bute Street was raided by police and a number of items were discovered. They included three wraps of white powder, a blue wrap containing heroin, £600 in cash, digital scales, and a number if phones.
In one lump of cling film there was 5.86g of heroin, another amount of 2.20g, a further wrap containing 0.47g, a wrap containing 1.14g of crack cocaine and another wrap containing 3.37g of cocaine. The total street value of the drugs came to more than £1,000.
Veira later pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of class A drugs. The court heard he has previous convictions for possessing drugs but none for drug trafficking.
In mitigation, solicitor-advocate Derrick Gooden said his client had been employed as a chef but had stopped working due to the Covid pandemic, and began receiving state benefit. He increased his heroin misuse and allowed his home to be used for storing and preparing drugs for "limited" financial gain and to fund his own heroin use.
Mr Gooden said the defendant no longer used drugs and no longer associates with those involved in dealing drugs. He said his client lived in an area of Cardiff "where drug use and drug sales is prolific".
Sentencing, Judge Jeremy Jenkins said: "Anyone who supplies class A drugs is committing an offence too serious to be dealt with by anything short of an immediate custodial sentence." Veira was sentenced to a total of 36 months imprisonment.
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