A drug dealer found in possession of cocaine and a "punch knife" was found to be dealing heroin after messages were discovered on his phone. He had been messaged by a number of customers asking: "Have you got D?" and: "You got darker?".
The home of Dean Kelsey, 35, of Ebbw Vale, was visited by police on November 8 last year after they were called out for another matter. He was arrested and his phone was seized.
A sentencing hearing at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court on Thursday heard the phone was discovered to be a drugs line in operation between September 28 and October 3. Text bombs had been sent advertising the sale of heroin to around 60 customers.
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Prosecutor Bethan Evans said further messages dating back to August 29 with the drugs line active in Cardiff and Blaenau Gwent. She described almost "daily messages" related to the supply of drugs.
Kelsey was arrested a second time and his house was searched. Under a mattress police found a black plastic bag containing seven wraps of cocaine weighing 2g in total. A black Nokia phone was also found and further messages relating to drug dealing were discovered. It was estimated around 625g of heroin had been sold worth in the region of £2,400. Also found at the property were two sets of scales and a "punch knife" on a unit near the front door.
Kelsey, of Prince Philip Avenue, Garnlydan, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of heroin, possession with intent to supply cocaine, and possession of an offensive weapon in a private place. The court heard he had 25 previous convictions including for drug possession.
Defence barrister Jeffrey Jones said no heroin or cash was found at his client's home and he did not create the drugs line. He said the defendant had a "fractured teenage background" left school with no education and has "achieved little" outside the prison environment.
Sentencing Recorder Simon Hughes said: "This was a fairly organised and professional operation. You sold drugs to which you were addicted."
Kelsey was sentenced to a total of 40 months imprisonment. He will serve half the sentence in custody before serving the remainder on licence.
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