Jail for six years for drug dealer

A HAPLESS drug dealer who went on the run for nearly a year has been locked up for six years.

Father-of-four Jorge Santos (26) sold heroin to undercover police officers in Peterborough last year while on bail for another offence where police had found £250 worth of Class A drugs in his house.

He was caught selling drugs as part of Operation Steam - a major police operation to rid city streets of drug dealers.

But after being released on bail for a second time he went on the run, moving to Great Yarmouth and working in a turkey factory.

However, he was arrested for drink driving in March this year - and despite giving police a false name, his fingerprints were matched with records from when he was arrested and he was remanded in custody.

Portuguese national Santos, who formally lived in Gladstone Street but gave an address in Great Yarmouth, pleaded guilty at Peterborough Crown Court yesterday to two counts of possession of class A drugs with intent to supply, and two counts of supplying class A drugs.

Judge Nic Madge told him he was receiving a long jail term because “Class A drugs wreck lives”.

Cheryl Williams, prosecuting, said: “On February 7, 2011 police executed a drugs warrant at Santos’ address in Gladstone Street.

“They found heroin and crack cocaine worth £250 on a wardrobe. He was questioned and released on bail.”

Miss Williams said Santos had claimed the drugs were his own - but analysis of the clingfilm the drugs were wrapped in, and a roll found in his house, proved he had wrapped the small packages at his house.

Text messages discovered on his mobile phone also showed he had been advertising the drugs to others.

Miss Williams said he had been caught selling drugs later that year.

She said: “In April a test purchase officer taking part in Operation Steam was provided with Santos’ number. He arranged two meetings with Santos, buying two wraps of heroin for £10.”

Miss Williams said Santos was arrested again but released on bail and then moved to Great Yarmouth.

Jonathon Seely, defending, said: “At the time of these offences, Santos was of good character. He came to the UK to find work, but after losing his job after a month he fell into bad company, and became addicted to class A drugs.

“He has now addressed his problem and regrets letting down his family.”

Sentencing, Judge Madge said: “Supplying Class A drugs is a serious offence. It wrecks lives. The number of cases in this court suggests it is a particularly prevalent offence in Peterborough. I give you credit for your guilty pleas.”

Judge Madge said the supply offences were aggravated as they were committed on bail.

Santos was given a three-year sentence for each offence of possession with intent to supply, to be served concurrently. He was also given three years for both supply charges to be served concurrent of each other but consecutive to the possession charges.

During Operation Steam, undercover police officers bought class A drugs from dealers, and collected evidence to bring them to justice.