Sutton man sentenced for drug production and dealing offences

Patrick Anthony Grant, 35 of Orchard Road, Sutton has been sentenced to four years behind bars after pleading guilty to drug production and dealing offences in Surrey.

Patrick Anthony Grant was arrested in Tadworth on Friday, 6 March. Officers were on patrol in the area when they spotted his vehicle acting suspiciously. After stopping the car, officers could smell cannabis so Grant was detained and searched under Section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act.

 

A road side drugs wipe test revealed that Grant had cocaine in his system and further searches from a drugs dog indicated that drugs had been present in the car. He was arrested on suspicion of drug driving and being concerned with the supply of class A drugs before having mobile phones and cash seized.

 

Following a further search at hospital, Grant was also found to be concealing drugs on his person. 

 

A warrant was later conducted at his home address where a number of drugs and drugs paraphernalia was seized, including weighing scales, a bag of suspected cannabis, class A drugs, five mobile phones, sim cards and large amounts of various powders, including baking soda, which it is believed were being used as cutting agents. Officers also located and seized a safe containing almost £57,000 in cash at his address.

 

The evidence that was collected was enough to charge him with three counts of possession with intent to supply class A drugs (cocaine, ‘crack’ cocaine and heroin), one count of production of ‘crack’ cocaine, one count of possession of class B cannabis and possession of criminal property.

 

Prior to attending his first hearing at court whilst still in police detention, Grant produced a package from his bottom which was confirmed to contain numerous wraps of ‘crack’ cocaine and heroin. Messages were also uncovered prior to his sentencing indicative of supplying controlled drugs.

 

He appeared in court on Tuesday, 11 August where he was sentenced to four years imprisonment. He also pleaded guilty to drug driving yesterday (18 August), and was disqualified from driving for three years and given numerous fines.

 

 

Investigating Officer PC Joe Brown said “This is a great result which has taken another drug dealer off the streets of Surrey.

 

“Patrick Grant was clearly a step above your average ‘street dealer’, who went to the added lengths of producing ‘crack’ cocaine from cocaine hydrochloride, and having large quantities of controlled drugs within his home address, along with a significant amount of cash which clearly shows the wide-ranging nature of his criminality. 

“The officers involved in this case from the initial stop check, right the way through to sentencing, worked tirelessly to gather the evidence which led to multiple charges and a successful prosecution at court against Grant. “Drugs will not be tolerated in Surrey and I hope that this case and the sentence given reassures local residents that we are doing everything possible to tackle drug related crime.”

 

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 T.V's 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.