A man who tried to hide a stash of drugs from police officers by swallowing his stash has been jailed for over five years.
32-year-old Anthony Mason was stopped by target team officers in Galgate, Lancaster, on 1st April 2010. The officers believed Mason, of Chalice Way, Liverpool, had drugs ‘secreted’ on his person (to put it politely) and he was taken into custody at Lancaster police station.
Mason was held in cells for 13 days – with officers being granted three extensions by Lancaster Magistrates – until the drugs were ‘revealed’ and he was able to be charged.
He appeared at Preston Crown Court this month, and was yesterday (Thursday) jailed for 2,045 days having pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine with intent to supply and possessing heroin with intent to supply.
“Mason was carrying a substantial amount of drugs on him when he was stopped,” noted PC Trev Walker of Lancaster police, “but due to their location we had to wait a considerable length of time before we had the evidence needed to charge him.
“He was constantly monitored for his own safety as the actions he had taken to hide the drugs in order to peddle them on our streets could have potentially proved fatal.
“Drugs and drug dealing have a really negative impact on our communities,” PC Walker added. “If anyone has concerns about drug dealing in their neighbourhood, I would urge them to contact police.”
• Anyone with information about drug dealing is asked to contact police on 01523 63333 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
13 days? You'd think arrest, imprisonment and cold turkey would have loosened him up a lot faster than that. (Mason, you legend!-)