A DRUG dealer pointed the police to where he had stashed around £1,500-worth of cocaine, just 18 months after they'd found drugs worth £6,400 in a previous raid.

Police carried out a drugs bust at Benjamin Ashby’s Ammanford home on January 28 last year. No-one was at the address, but officers found 64.2 grams of cocaine, weighing scales, snap bags, and seized his mobile phone.

The cocaine was valued at between £5,120 and £6,400, prosecutor Helen Randall said.

Ashby later presented himself at the police station, and gave a no comment interview the following day. He was released on bail as police continued their investigations.

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Police conducted a second raid at Ashby’s home on July 25 this year, Ms Randall said.

The defendant answered the door and told the officers “What you’re looking for is in my van”.

Inside the van, the police found 32 bags containing a total of 16.1 grams of cocaine – valued at between £1,240 and £1,550. They also seized three mobile phones.

Ashby again gave a no comment interview.

The 37-year-old defendant, who has nine previous convictions for nine offences, pleaded guilty to two charges of possession with intent to supply cocaine.

“He’s very realistic about his position,” said David Singh, in mitigation. “He appreciates a very lengthy term of imprisonment is inevitable in this case.

“He was the subject of a serious attack in 2020. He has had a number of difficulties that stem from that – none of which excuse his foray in to the drug dealing world.

“He knows that drug dealing potentially is a lucrative endeavour, but it carries significant risks.

“There’s a lack of relevant previous convictions.”

The judge, Recorder Christian Jowett, told Ashby that “custody is unavoidable” and “no other sentence can be justified”.

He sentenced the defendant, of Folland Road in Garnant, to a total of four years and ten months in prison.