A drug dealer attempted to traffic more than 5kg of cannabis to his Cardiff home but came unstuck when his parcel was intercepted at Heathrow Airport. When police searched his house and another address he was connected to, further amounts of cannabis were discovered as well as incriminating messages on his phone.
Joseph Pepler, 33, had ordered a package from Italy containing 5.18kg of cannabis worth between £55,000 and £110,000, but on May 12 last year it was intercepted by UK Border Force officers. It was destined for the defendant's home in North Road, which police officers attended on June 9.
A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday heard Pepler was arrested and gave police his iPhone and pin number. A further search of the property resulted in three bags of cannabis, weighing just under 40g, being discovered as well as weighing scales. The total amount of cannabis discovered across the two houses came to 210g, which had a street value of around £2,000.
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Messages on the defendant's phone linked him to another house in North Road, and a search of that address resulted in further amounts of cannabis being discovered. Prosecutor Nuhu Gobir said Pepler was interviewed but denied any knowledge of the drugs at Heathrow Airport or where they had come from. He claimed the drugs found in possession were CBD and was stock for his CBD shop which had closed weeks before the police's visit.
Pepler later pleaded guilty to importation of cannabis and possession with intent to supply cannabis. The court heard he had previous convictions of a dissimilar nature.
In mitigation, Hashim Salmman argued his client's sentence could be suspended as there was a "realistic prospect of rehabilitation". The defendant claimed he was in debt at the time of the offence and had recently split up from his partner. He has two young children and also provides care to his mother who has a terminal illness.
Sentencing, Recorder Benjamin Blakemore said: "You intended to flood the streets and feed other people's habit. It's a pernicious drug."
Pepler was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment suspended for 18 months. He was also ordered to carry out 150 hours unpaid work and a 10 day rehabilitation activity requirement.
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