Peterborough drug dealer hid drug stash in car wheelarch

A Peterborough drug dealer who hid a pot of class A drugs in the wheelarch of a car has been given a suspended jail sentence.

Neighbourhood policing officers were on patrol in the Millfield area of Peterborough on the evening of 14 October 2022 when they noticed a group of drug users loitering in an underpass in Bourges Boulevard.

Working with CCTV operators, officers tracked the group to some derelict houses in Cromwell Road where they were seen to meet Nasir Amiri, 24, who was in a car, and exchange items.

Amiri was seen to retrieve something from the wheelarch of a car parked in front of him, before getting back in his car.

Suspecting drug deals were taking place, the officers searched Amiri, and three other men with him.

They found £600 in cash in Amiri’s jacket pocket and two mobile phones, one of which was later found to contain messages relating to drug dealing.

A chewing gum tub containing £480 worth of cocaine was also found stashed in the wheelarch of the car.

Amiri, of Century Square, Millfield, Peterborough, appeared at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday (20 March) where he was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for two years, after previously pleading guilty to possession with intent to supply cocaine and cannabis.

He must complete 125 hours of unpaid work as well as a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

Detective Constable Nik Loizou, who investigated, said: “This was great proactive work by the local neighbourhood policing team who were responding to concerns raised by the community about drug dealing in the area.

“Through joint working with CCTV operators they were able to locate the drugs which helped build the evidence needed to convict Amiri.”