A prolific drug dealer was found with class A drugs and released under investigation on three separate occasions before he was arrested on the fourth, a court heard.
Gonzalo De Freitas, of Lime Grove, Toxteth, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Monday to be sentenced. He pleaded guilty to nine offences in total, including eight counts of possession with intent to supply cocaine and heroin on four separate occasions, and one count of possession of criminal property, namely cash.
Iain Criddle, prosecuting, detailed that De Freitas was stopped and found with drugs in his possession on four different occasions over a year, but released on bail every time. He said: “De Freitas is a street dealer of controlled drugs to end users.
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“He had a larger amount of drugs than this court would often see for someone in this role but that is because he is a trusted street dealer.” Mr Criddle explained that the now 22-year-old was first stopped by officers on patrol on August 21, 2020, in the Toxteth area of Liverpool.
After being spotted, the then 20-year-old ran from officers and threw a bag, but was found in a garden and the bag was recovered. Officers found £931 in cash, a phone, 4.4 grams of heroin, and 9.8 grams of cocaine, totalling a street value of £1550.
An electronic tick list and flare messages were found on the phone, and De Freitas was released under investigation. On November 4 of the same year, on Upper Parliament Street in Toxteth, officers again spotted De Freitas riding a mountain bike taking part in what they believed to be a drug deal.
He was detained at around midday and admitted he had drugs in his possession. Police found 1.81 grams of heroin, split into 16 bags, and 4.81 grams of cocaine, split into 67 bags, with a street value of £830, plus £139 cash.
The then 20-year-old was interviewed and answered no comment to all questions, before being released under investigation. Three weeks later, on November 27, again in the Toxteth area, police spotted De Freitas talking to people with the appearance of drug users, and going in and out of a block of flats.
At around 11.40am, he again ran from officers when they attempted to detain him, and threw an item over a fence during the pursuit. It was retrieved and found to contain 582 wraps of cocaine, totalling 35 grams, and 16 wraps of heroine, totalling 1.79 grams.
Those drugs had a street value of just over £5,000, and De Freitas was also found with £204.20 cash. He gave a no comment interview, and no phone evidence of drug dealing was found on this occasion, and again he was released under investigation.
Mr Criddle told the court that the two arrests in November were part of a wider Merseyside operation, and that is part of the reason De Freitas was released. A year later, on November 23, 2021, he was spotted in Toxteth at 4.45pm riding an electric bike, which he attempted to make off on before being caught and detained.
He was found with a tick list, and £400 in cash, plus a phone, before he was taken to a police station and searched further. He was found on this occasion with 24 wraps of cocaine, totalling 1.79 grams, 14 wraps of heroin totalling 1.71 grams, with a total street value of £380, were found.
Again, he gave a no comment interview but this time was arrested and released on bail. De Freitas was previously convicted for possession with intent to supply MDMA in 2019, for which he was given a 12 month sentence suspended for 12 months.
Kate Morley, defending, said: “It is utterly depressing that a young man of just 22 years of age who has some potential finds himself in front of the courts again.” She detailed that he was “subject to a vicious knife attack” in 2019, and as a result became addicted to drugs, built up a drug habit and a subsequent debt.
Ms Morley accepted that the defendant’s previous conviction for drug offences pre-dated that attack, but said that at the point he was not involved with criminal groups and the incident led him to become more involved with them as a result.
She detailed that he “was not living the high life” or using the proceeds of dealing for himself, and everytime he was arrested and drugs were seized, that amount was added to his debt to those higher than him in the chain. Ms Morley added that since his arrest, he has gained legitimate employment and paid off his last debt, and has rekindled his relationship with his family.
In sentencing, Judge David Aubrey KC said: “You were supplying controlled drugs in the Toxteth area of our city. This court has no doubt whatsoever that you were doing so under the direction from others and if I may use the expression, you were a foot soldier.
“You knew precisely what you were doing.”
“You do have some potential but you only have potential if you focus on the right things, and not that which have not been focusing on for a number of years.
“What you have been focussing on for some years is the drug world.
“But you know only too well that these offences are so serious only an immediate custodial sentence is appropriate.”
Judge Aubrey sentenced him to 44 months imprisonment and said he hopes that he will “fulfil the potential that you clearly have”.
A forfeiture order was also made in regards to the money seized and it will be donated to charity.
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