A drug dealer was caught in his car with more than £ 4,000 worth of cocaine after reporting it to police as stolen.
Mohammed Rahman, 24, unwittingly drew attention to his criminal behavior when his Volkswagen Golf was recovered and searched.
After the search on January 29, 2019, the police found 28.9 g of cocaine with a purity of 66% in 22 bags in a pull-out compartment.
The Cardiff defendant was arrested and his home in Richards Terrace, Roath, was also searched.
At a sentencing hearing in Cardiff Crown Court on Friday, police found keys to a Citroen Berlingo that belonged to Rahman and inside the vehicle they found white powder, bags and scales.
Two cell phones were seized and a silver Nokia was found with messages related to the delivery of Class A drugs.
In addition, eight 50-pound bills were confiscated, which later turned out to be forgeries.
The total amount of cocaine recovered was 38.89 g with the highest purity of 80% and had a street value between £ 1,800 and £ 4,200.
Rahman initially denied the offenses but later pleaded guilty of possession with intent to deliver cocaine and possession of counterfeit money.
Defense attorney William Bebb said his client had “pulled the case over” for more than two years, describing him as a “naive young man” running his own small operation to fund his own cocaine addiction.
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At the conviction, Recorder Simon Mills said: “They were expecting a significant financial benefit. You made money for yourself to buy more drugs, to poke your own nose, abuse this nasty substance and make money to buy more to sell to others and you got caught with a considerable amount.
“This is clearly a case in which you have played a significant role in street trafficking in Class A drugs. You have contributed to the misery inflicted on other people and other families by this type of behavior.”
Rahman was sentenced to a total of two years and four months in prison.
