30-year-old dealer is first to be jailed over outlawed drug
MAN HAD ‘PARTY BAGS’ WITH NITROUS OXIDE CANISTERS
A DRUG dealer who had a “naughty and nice list” of customers has become the first person to be jailed for possessing a drug since it was outlawed, the Crown Prosecution Service said.
Thomas Salton, 30, from Brentwood, had “party bags” filled with canisters of of nitrous oxide, banned by the Government in November 2023, along with ketamine, balloons and candy canes.
The CPS said that when police stopped Salton’s Range Rover on December 1 last year, they found 60 small canisters of the Class C drug, 48 one-gram bags of ketamine and £39,000 in cash. Also in the car was a “naughty” and “nice” list of customers, with gift bags for those on the naughty list.
More nitrous oxide canisters and ketamine were later found at a property Salton was renting ten miles from his home.
He was sentenced to 35 months in prison at Basildon Crown Court last week after admitting to possessing nitrous oxide with intent to supply, possessing ketamine with intent to supply, possession of a class A drug and possessing criminal property, in relation to the cash.
Alex Hinds, a prosecutor for CPS East of England, said: “The evidence against Thomas Salton was overwhelming and this case is an example of all parts of the justice system working together to get drugs and those who sell them off the streets.
“The change in the law coupled with the actions of the police has allowed the CPS to present the strongest case in court and put Thomas Salton out of business and into prison.
“Nitrous oxide is a dangerous drug and hopefully this first conviction will deter those thinking of buying or selling it.”
Nitrous oxide, nicknamed “hippy crack”, was made a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 last November, as part of the Government’s anti-social behaviour action plan.
This means possession of nitrous oxide, where a person intends to wrongfully inhale it for a psychoactive effect, is now an offence and dealers could face up to 14 years behind bars.
It is still possible to use the gas for legitimate reasons, such as catering, pain relief during labour or in model rockets.