Redhill man behind bars for drugs offences

A man from Redhill is behind bars for 20 months after being found guilty of being concerned in the supply of cocaine.

Darnell Smith, 21, of Asylum Arch Road, Redhill, was sentenced to 20 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £149 when he appeared at Guildford Crown Court last Monday (18 November).

Smith was spotted acting suspiciously by officers on the afternoon of 21 December 2018 in Woodhatch, Reigate.

After searching him, officers found a two “burner” mobile phones, a smartphone and a quantity of cash.

He ran off down an alleyway following the search, throwing a clear plastic bag over a fence as he made his escape. He was arrested after being found nearby shortly afterwards.

A search of the area uncovered seven bags of white powder which turned out to be cocaine.

Further examination of the “burner” phone, to which Smith had been forensically linked, showed that it contained a number of recent messages suggesting involvement in drug supply.

Reigate and Banstead Borough Commander Inspector Angie Austin said: “Drug dealing simply will not be tolerated in our local communities and I hope that this sends a strong message that if you are caught, you will be dealt with severely.

“The sentence given to Darnell Smith means that another drug dealer has been taken off our streets for a considerable amount of time.”

Insp Austin continued: “Information from members of the public can be really valuable in tackling drug dealing in our county. If you suspect someone is dealing drugs, or involved in the supply of drugs, we want to hear from you.”

If you have information about suspected drug dealing or crime in your area, please contact us on 101. If you don’t want to speak to police, you can call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555111. They never ask your name or trace your call and you could earn yourself a reward.

What are the signs of potential drug dealing:

• Lots of visitors, who don’t stay very long, arriving at all times of the day and night
• People waiting in cars outside particular properties exchanging small packets or cash
• Lots of visitors bringing items such as TVs or bikes but leaving empty handed
• Lone/vulnerable neighbours suddenly having groups of young men living at their address

What we want to know:

• Time, date and place
• Vehicle registrations and the make, model and colour
• Descriptions of people and details of what they were doing
• Direction they travelling to and from
• How many times you have seen them – is it always at the same time of day?

Don’t put yourself at risk while gathering this information. Please always pass the information to the police and do not confront or approach suspected drug dealers.