14 hours ago
Monmouth: Drugs runner hid cocaine in Mercedes SUV engine
Gwent Police officers found 265g of the class A drug when they pulled over Stuart Wood near the Gibraltar Tunnels on the A40 in Monmouth.
The 39-year-old told them he wasn't carrying anything illegal inside his Mercedes-Benz GLE 400.
James Evans, prosecuting, told Cardiff Crown Court that the drugs with a potential street value of £26,500 were found in the engine.
They were 'concealed in a chamber' following the search on Thursday, January 9.
Wood had been arrested after police 'received intelligence'.
Examination of the defendant's mobile phone revealed how he had made five trips previous between his native Cheshire and Monmouthshire to deliver drugs.
He admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine and possession with intent to supply the class A drug.
Wood's offending spanned June 9, 2024 and January 10 this year.
The defendant had no previous drug trafficking convictions but did have two for money laundering.
He was arrested with £300,000 in Stockport in 2012 and £261,000 in Birmingham four years later in 2016.
'There is some inference that these convictions were something to do with the drugs trade,' Mr Evans added.
Wood's barrister Richard Ace said his client had been 'a drug user/addict of cocaine' for at least 15 years.
He told the court the defendant, a qualified electrician, had two children who he would miss seeing growing up during his inevitable lengthy jail term.
'It could be agreed that there is genuine remorse in this case,' Mr Ace put forward.
'The defendant pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.'
Judge Daniel Williams said to Wood: 'You realised that you were playing for high stakes and you lost.'
He was sent to prison for six years for being concerned in the supply of cocaine and four years for possession with intent to supply cocaine.
They were ordered to be served concurrently which means a total sentence of six years.
Wood will serve half of that term in custody before being released on licence.
He is due to face a proceeds of crime hearing on January 14 next year.
