[A] DRUGS peddler caught with high purity cocaine potentially worth £63,000 has been jailed for six years.
Karl Morgan Moore, 43, was busted after police stopped his BMW in the Stonegarth area of Carlisle just after 4-30am on July 8. Around £2,000 worth of the class A drug was seized from his vehicle, along with almost 1,000 diazepam tablets and £610 cash.
But the full extent of Moore’s criminal activity emerged when officers visited his Sycamore Road home in Maryport. A half-kilo block of cocaine was found in his bedroom, along with amphetamine, more diazepam, weighing scales and a meat cleaver. A safe contained almost £5,000 cash.
Carlisle Crown Court heard Moore’s total 526g cocaine haul had been valued by an expert at more than £42,000; but if further adulterated it was potentially worth almost £63,500 on the street. Texts on his phone were consistent with drug supply.
Moore admitted supplying cocaine, possessing both cocaine and diazepam with intent to supply, and possessing amphetamine. He claimed to have been merely warehousing the cocaine – but after hearing evidence, a judge ruled he had been dealing primarily to fund his £300-a-fortnight drug habit.
Jailing Moore for six years, Recorder David Swinnerton told him: “Sentences are this high for drugs matters because class A drugs ruin people’s lives.”
Detective Constable Sarah Boustead, North Cumbria CID, said: “This sentence reflects how serious the courts take drug supply. People who involve themselves in the supply of controlled drugs must expect to receive terms of imprisonment.
“His offending came to light following a routine stop by officers. Moore claimed that he was holding onto the drugs found at his home address for another dealer.
“Police work hard to tackle drugs across Cumbria and a lot of work goes on behind the scenes to build up such cases so that we can take early, preventative steps like this to stop illegal drug supply. We rely on the community informing us of suspicious activity or information around illegal drug use or supply in the area. If you have any information please get in touch.”
