Man travelling in taxi with drugs and scales sentenced to over three years in prison
Updated: Oct 12, 2023
A 21-year-old man caught in possession of drugs and associated paraphernalia while travelling in a taxi in Rushden has been sentenced to three years and nine months in prison.
Deon St Vie was a passenger in the taxi, which was stopped in Hayway, Rushden, after the driver had picked him up from an address in Wellingborough, at about 12.30pm on Monday 27 February this year.
Officers searched St Vie under the Misuse of Drugs Act and found he was carrying more than 122g of cocaine, a small quantity of cannabis, weighing scales and bicarbonate of soda – often used as a cutting agent by drug dealers.
A subsequent search of his home in Wellingborough uncovered a total of 247 individual wraps of heroin and 24 wraps of cocaine – all various weights ranging from 0.47g to 30.54g. A small quantity of cannabis was also recovered.
In addition to this, two mobile phones, which contained advertising messages he had sent to publicise the sale of Class A drugs, were also seized along with an extendable baton.
St Vie was charged with three counts of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs – heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine – as well as possession of a Class B drug (cannabis) and the possession of an offensive weapon in a private place.
He pleaded guilty to all five offences at the earliest opportunity and on Thursday 5 October, at Northampton Crown Court was sentenced to three years and nine months.
Speaking after sentencing, Detective Sergeant Rob Johnson of the North LPA crime team, said: “The items seized from Deon St Vie when officers stopped him and searched his home clearly demonstrated his role in the supply of Class A drugs in and around Wellingborough and East Northamptonshire.
“Tackling drug harm is a matter of priority for Northamptonshire Police and I am pleased with this sentence which demonstrates that drug supply is taken seriously by both police and the courts.
“We hope this sentence also sends out a clear message to those involved in the illegal drugs trade. Whether you’re a street level dealer or orchestrating wholesale supply, if you choose to go down this route, we will disrupt your activities and bring you to justice.”
