A COCAINE-dealing 23-year-old, who was running a drugs line, was caught red-handed by plain-clothed officers near Newport city centre. 

When officers stopped Harri Lasslett, they seized a block of cocaine from his jacket pocket, a mobile phone and later recovered more than £2,000 in cash from his bedroom.

Lasslett was sentenced to three years and four months imprisonment at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday after pleading guilty to possession with intent to supply class A drugs.

He also admitted to using a motor vehicle on a road without third party insurance, driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence, and possession of criminal property.

Officers spotted Lasslett on a Sur-ron electric bike dealing drugs to people in the street and stopped him on Clytha Square, Newport, at around 8pm on Saturday 15 June.

At his feet, officers recovered a Nokia 'burner' phone, a smart phone, bags of crack cocaine; and seized a 24g block of cocaine and £325 in cash from the pocket of his coat.

Later that evening, officers searched an address in Allt-yr-yn, Newport, where they recovered £1,800 cash stuffed inside a red shoebox and further cash from a coat. 

Police Staff Investigator (PSI) Rachel Hine, the officer in the case, said: “Lasslett enjoyed the trappings of his illegal drug-dealing activities while exploiting the vulnerable and causing misery to people in Newport. 

“Upon his arrest, he was exceptionally bullish in asking us to prove his guilt, but as more items were found about his person and later at his home the evidence of his criminal activities was overwhelming.

“He offered a no-comment response to all the questions we put to him after his arrest nor any reasonable explanation of where he got money, a Rolex watch or the electric bike, which we have seized.

“The cash will be retained by police in the fight against crime.

"Illegal drugs have no place in Gwent and we will continue to target people involved in these activities as shown by this case.”

If you have any concerns or information about illegal drug supply in your community, we encourage you to report it to us via the website, or by calling 101 or sending us a direct message on Facebook or X, so that we can take action.

Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111, with information.