[T]wo men have been sentenced after more than £45,000 worth of spice was seized in Moston.
Anthony Hunt (06/03/1985) of Rudston Avenue, Moston was today (Wednesday 30 August 2017) sentenced at Manchester Crown Square to seven years and nine months after pleading guilty to a raft of drugs offences.
His associate John O’Brien (01/10/1984) of Bluestone Road, Manchester, was given a 12-month suspended sentence after pleading guilty to possession with intent to supply heroin and cocaine.
This was added to a previous two-year suspended sentence which was given to him following possession of heroin and cocaine on 27 November 2016.
On 26 November 2016 police attended the scene of a collision close to Cannock junction 12 on the M6 southbound and found a transit van abandoned on the embankment.
A search of the van found a quantity of drugs and two mobile phones inside. Forensic analysis of the discarded items found the fingerprints of Hunt and O’Brien.
The following day on 27 November 2016 O’Brien was detained by police in possession of £7,500 worth of heroin and cocaine and a substantial amount of cash.
In February 2017, police raided Hunt’s home address in Moston and found a quantity of spice with an estimated street value of £46,200, cannabis with a street value of £2,500 and amphetamine with a street value of £8,000.
Sergeant Ian Haselden of GMP’s City of Manchester team said: “This was one of the most significant seizures of spice we have ever had in Greater Manchester which clearly indicates that Anthony Hunt was prolific in his distribution of it.
“There has been a lot of coverage in recent months about spice and the effects that it can have on people and I hope this investigation will go some way to showing how serious we are in our efforts to remove as much of it from the streets as possible.
“As a result of their actions, Hunt now faces a lengthy stint in prison and if O’Brien commits any further offences he too could end up behind bars, of which they fully deserve.”
Anthony Hunt pleaded guilty to:
- Possession with intent to supply heroin.
- Possession with intent to supply cocaine.
- Possession with intent to supply spice.
- Possession with intent to supply cannabis.
- Possession with intent to supply amphetamine.
- Money laundering.
- Perverting the course of justice.
