He left his number asking for a job. The one he took landed him in prison
Former soldier Lefteh Nikwan fled his native Iran after taking part in anti-government protests 'which caused him not inconsiderable difficulties'
Lefteh Nikwan
(Image: South Wales Police)
An asylum seeker took a "job" as a drug dealer to earn money to pay for his appeal after his initial application to stay in the UK was rejected, a court has heard. Former soldier Lefteh Nikwan fled his native Iran after taking part in anti-government protests and travelled to the UK.
Cardiff Crown Court heard that when police stopped his car they found he was following a route around Cardiff using an online a map which had 20 stop-off points and these turned out to be cocaine and cannabis customers who he was being directed to.
Martha Smith-Higgins, prosecuting, told the court that on March 12 this year police officers in the Cathays area of Cardiff were carrying out vehicle checks when they stopped Nikwan's car as it was showing as being uninsured. Officers noticed a smell of cannabis in the car and saw a map application was running on the defendant's phone and that it appeared he was following a set route. A search of the vehicle turned up three grip-seal bags of cocaine and four of cannabis.
The court heard an examination of the defendant's phone showed he was being "directed by others" to locations around Cardiff with 20 postcode locations entered into the map app. Messages showed he was delivering cannabis deals, typically of £50 each, and cocaine deals of various amounts up to £100 in value.
The court heard photos on the phone showed a hand holding £50 notes as well as the defendant's wife packaging cannabis at home. A subsequent search of Nikwan's address turned up £130 in cash.
The prosecutor said in his police interview the 26-year-old defendant denied being involved in dealing and said the drugs found in the car were for his personal use. For the latest court stories sign up to our crime newsletter.
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Miss Smith-Higgins said the prosecution accepted the defendant had been operating as a "courier" under the direction of others.
Lefteh Nikwan, of Stacey Road, Adamsdown, Cardiff, had previously pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to supply and possession of cannabis with intent to supply when he appeared in the dock for sentencing with assistance from a Kurdish Sorani interpreter. He has no previous convictions.
Dan Jones, for Nikwan, said his client had served in the Iranian army but then took part in anti-government protests "which caused him not inconsiderable difficulties". He said the defendant came to the UK in June 2023 and applied for asylum but this application was rejected.
The barrister said needing money to fund an appeal against the rejection but, being unable to work, Nikwan began leaving his phone number at locations around Chester where he was living at the time looking for cash-in-hand work. He said it was via this mechanism that someone contacted the defendant "offering him a 'job' if that is the right expression". The barrister said his client felt taking up the offer was the only way of getting the money he needed.
Judge Paul Hobson said it was clear from the evidence in the case that Nikwan was being "directed by others" to supply cocaine and cannabis to addresses around Cardiff. With one-quarter discounts for his guilty pleas the defendant was sentenced to 30 months in prison comprising 30 months for the cocaine offences and nine months for the cannabis offence to run concurrently. Defendants serve up to half their sentences in custody before being released on licence.
Judge Hobson said Nikwan's status in the UK and any issue of deportation were matters for the Home Office.
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