A chef from Cardiff has been jailed after police discovered heroin and cocaine with an estimated street value of up to £34,000 hidden throughout a property in Newport, with a substantial portion concealed inside a washing machine. Mohammad Saad, 31, was sentenced at Newport Crown Court following a police raid in which he not only tried to evade arrest but was later apprehended thanks to diligent police work.
The incident began on 27 October of the previous year, as Gwent Police were carrying out a coordinated crackdown on suspected drug dealing operations in the Newport area. Officers executed a warrant at a house on Conway Road, where they encountered Saad. Notably, the door to the property was not opened immediately, raising suspicions, and once inside, officers observed two men making a hasty escape through the garden.
As police chased after the fleeing suspects, Saad, meanwhile, tried to convince officers that he needed to retrieve identification from his car. Instead of returning, however, he drove off from the scene, only to be traced later using the registration details picked up by ANPR cameras. Despite this brief evasion, the net swiftly closed as police monitored his probation appointments, leading to his arrest at an office in Cardiff on 7 November.
Subsequent searches of the Newport property and Saad’s vehicle uncovered a large cache of illegal substances and associated paraphernalia. Among the findings were 100 small bags of cocaine and 200 deals of heroin stuffed into a washing machine. Elsewhere in the house and even in the garden, officers discovered more packaged drugs and a quantity of cash stowed away in a wheelie bin. By the end of the operation, authorities had seized drugs worth between £30,000 and £34,000.
Further intrigue arose during the initial investigation when individuals unaware of the police activity continued to arrive at the Conway Road address. One prospective buyer was arrested at the scene; another, who arrived purportedly to secure the house after the raid, was detained for questioning. The discovery of these visitors further underlined evidence of ongoing drug activity at the property.
Forensic analysis played a key role in linking Saad to the criminal enterprise. Whilst he initially denied any connection to the seized narcotics, with “no comment” answers followed by a prepared statement in police interviews, investigators found his fingerprints on much of the drug packaging. Searches at his home yielded additional evidence, including multiple SIM cards, a sum of cash, and more drug traces in a bedroom coat.
Saad stood before the court and pleaded guilty to multiple charges: possession with intent to supply cocaine, heroin, and cannabis, as well as possession of criminal property. The court also noted his previous convictions, which included an earlier suspended prison sentence relating to cannabis supply less than a year prior to this raid.
During mitigation, defence counsel Sol Hartley said Saad’s involvement was part of a familiar pattern where personal drug habits led to debts and subsequent pressure from those higher up the drug trade hierarchy. Despite being given a second chance by the courts in the past, Saad reportedly struggled to sever his ties with illicit activity. Hartley stressed that the chef had skills and aspirations outside of crime, adding that he was “not without talent”.
Ultimately, Judge Eugene Egan handed Saad a sentence of 35 months’ imprisonment, including the activation of six months from his previous suspended sentence, bringing the total to 41 months. The court ordered that he serves up to half his sentence in custody before release on licence.
Speaking after the sentencing, Gwent Police’s PC Emma Tarney highlighted the significance of removing such quantities of drugs and associated cash from circulation. She reiterated the force’s commitment to tackling drug-related crime, emphasising the impact on communities and the determination to bring offenders to justice.
This case serves as yet another example of law enforcement’s ongoing efforts to address the devastation caused by illegal drug distribution in Welsh communities. As the investigation concludes, the challenge of supporting individuals to break out of cycles of crime and making Welsh neighbourhoods safer remains as critical as ever.