A former chef was found in possession of up to £2.2m worth of heroin and crack cocaine when police searched properties he was linked to. He later claimed he was instructed to store the drugs in order to pay off a backstreet gambling debt.
Essac Ali, 35, was arrested by police in Cardiff on March 8 after he was forced to stop his car by a three-car box manoeuvre when he tried to escape. He had to be dragged out of his vehicle with police breaking the windows to enable them to access the car.
A sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court on Thursday heard the defendant was found in possession of a small amount of Class A drugs and cash. But searches were carried out at addresses in Cathedral Road and Cowbridge Road East that he was linked to.
