London drug dealer pictured himself with bags of cannabis and wearing crown of £20 notes

 
Cash and drugs: Ayub Hagos
24 May 2012
WEST END FINAL

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A drug dealer was snared by police after they found images of him on his mobile phone wearing a crown of £20 notes with a bag of cash hanging from his mouth.

Ayub Hagos, 19, also waved wads of cash at the camera in a display of "bravado".

Police also found pictures on his camera phone which showed piles of cash, guns, knives, and white powder.

Hagos, originally from Abbey Wood south east London, was jailed today for three-and-a-half years.

The judge said Hagos would travel from London with class A drugs to sell on the streets of Southsea, Portsmouth.

The court heard Hagos had been found with 23 wraps of crack cocaine, with a street value of £920, and 11 wraps of heroin, worth £440.

Police also found a knuckle-duster and £500 cash in his bag. Prosecutor Matthew Lawson said: ‘The crown would certainly say it’s an overwhelming case.

At first, he denied having anything to do with the drugs but changed his plea in court at the last minute after he learned police had found the images on his phone.

His barrister, Alexander Thompson said he had been "naive".

"He took the photographs as bravado to make himself seem more important in front of his peers," he said.

"It is incredibly naive for a sophisticated drug dealer to have these sort of photographs on his phone."

Hagos, of Church Manorway, pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing a class A drug with intent to supply following his arrest in October last year. The court heard he had previous convictions for possessing cannabis and assault.

Sentencing him, Judge Richard Price said: ‘You came down from London with class A drugs, crack cocaine and heroin, to sell in this city.

‘I am satisfied that’s the sole purpose of your visit to this city. You are more than a street dealer, you are a supplier to those who sell on the streets. ‘I am entirely satisfied that in all the circumstances of this case you played a significant role.’

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