First laughing gas dealer jailed made ‘Christmas presents’ claim
POLICE have released footage of the moment a drug dealer was caught after telling officers laughing gas canisters in his car were “Christmas presents”.
Thomas Salton, 30, became the first person in the UK to be jailed for possessing laughing gas since it was designated a class C drug in November.
He was sentenced to 35 months in prison at Basildon Crown Court on Monday after pleading guilty to possessing nitrous oxide with intent to supply at a hearing last month.
Following the landmark conviction, Essex Police released footage of the moment Salton was caught red-handed in a plan to supply a Christmas party with ketamine and nitrous oxide.
Video shows Salton, of Brentwood, nervous and agitated after he was pulled over in his Range Rover during a traffic stop in Basildon on Dec 1. When asked whether he has anything illicit inside his vehicle, Salton tells the officer he has “Christmas presents” and later repeats the claim. The footage then pans to the boot of the Range Rover, where officers found party bags containing items such as Christmas crackers and sweets alongside grip-sealed bags of ketamine, together with nitrous oxide canisters with balloons.
More than £38,000 in cash was also seized. Also, in the car was a “naughty” and “nice” list of customers, with gift bags for those on the naughty list, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.
A CPS spokesman said 60 small canisters of the class C drug and 48 one-gram bags of ketamine were recovered from the vehicle. A further 408 nitrous oxide canisters and 965 grams of ketamine were later found at a property Salton was renting 10 miles from his home.
Salton also admitted possessing ketamine with intent to supply, possession of a class A drug and possessing criminal property, in relation to the cash, according to the CPS.
Alex Hinds, of CPS East of England, said: “The change in the law coupled with the actions of the police has allowed the CPS to present the strongest case in court and put Thomas Salton out of business and into prison. Nitrous oxide is a dangerous drug and hopefully this first conviction will deter those thinking of buying or selling it.”