A Wirral man caught with 95 wraps of heroin in his boxer shorts denied he was involved in County Lines drug dealing.
Police arrested Ryan Holland, 31, as he left a block of flats in Llandudno. Officers, who had noticed he smelt strongly of cannabis, took him to Llandudno Police Station where he was found with Class A drugs and cash, reports North Wales Live.
Today (Tuesday) Caernarfon Crown Court heard the Merseyside man claimed not to be involved in County Lines dealing. This was despite officers finding a large quantity of heroin and crack cocaine in his boxer shorts.
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Prosecuting, Ryan Rothwell, told the court how Holland, of Borough Road in Wallasey, was spotted by police coming out of a block of flats in Llandudno last January. The court heard how, at the time, he appeared "nervous and evasive" when stopped.
Smelling strongly of cannabis, officers took Holland to Llandudno Police Station for a drug search. Police found 95 wraps of heroin in his boxers. Weighing various amounts, they were valued at about £1,100 in total by experts. The dad-of-two was also hiding 70 more knotted packets containing crack cocaine which were valued at £700.
The court heard he was carrying five "blister packs" containing 140 diazepam tablets. These had not be given a street value, Mr Rothwell told the court.
Holland previously told police officers he only had £500 on his person that had come from his benefits. However, he was carrying more than £2,100 that had come from previously conducted drug deals.
He was arrested and interviewed but refused to comment when probed about the drugs and cash found on his person. The court was told how Holland does have a previous convictions for cannabis supply.
Defending Holland, John Hedgecoe, said that his client accepted that the judge will be handing out the toughest sentence he has received from a court to date. However, he stressed that the 31-year-old had been taking steps to improve his life.
He has moved back to the Wirral area and is now playing an "active role" in the lives of his young children, seeing them "most days". Mr Hedgecoe added Holland has also taken a "big step" to tackle his own problem with drugs by weaning himself off cocaine.
Holland was due to stand trial in March charged with possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply. However, he formally changed his plea the day this was due to take place.
Judge Rhys Rowlands said Holland hadn't learnt from his past, returning to a life of "street level dealing". Handing out a jail term of four and a half years, he said: "This is not a case that falls anywhere near the cusp of custody, it's far too serious."
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