A drug dealer has been jailed after being caught red-handed by police out on patrol.
Plain-clothed officers were deployed to the Arboretum area after receiving intelligence of drug activity.
While walking along Raleigh Street, officers spotted Jack Nicole-Plackett acting suspiciously and followed him to All Saints Street.
He then met with two people inside a nearby church yard and was seen attempting to carry out a drug deal.
Drugs search
At this point, the watching officers swooped in and seized the crack cocaine, heroin and cash that had just been exchanged in front of them.
Nicole-Plackett was then arrested by the patrolling officers from the Operation Compass and city centre safer neighbourhood teams on 25 March 2022.
Once in custody, the 26-year-old refused to reveal his address, although officers quickly established that he lived in Raleigh Street, the Arboretum, Nottingham.
A search was then carried out at the address, with police uncovering a large amount of crack cocaine and heroin hidden inside, as well as cash and weighing scales.
Courts
Nicole-Plackett appeared before Nottingham Magistrates’ Court the following day (26 March), where he pleaded guilty to two counts of possession with intent to supply a Class A drug.
He then appeared before Nottingham Crown Court on Wednesday (27 July), where he was sentenced to three years and ten months in prison.
Operation Compass
Sergeant Jon Pothecary, of Nottinghamshire Police’s Operation Compass team, said: “Nicole-Plackett knew exactly what he was doing when he decided to deal drugs in our community and he’s now facing up to the consequences of his actions.
“Seeing him receive such a hefty sentence after being caught dealing dangerous Class A drugs is just reward for our officers, who followed their instincts after they spotted him acting suspiciously.
“This was a fantastic example of our teams using some of the different tactics available to us, in this instance by deploying plain-clothed officers, to catch offenders unaware.
“We were also able to take a large amount of Class A drugs, namely crack cocaine and heroin, out of circulation and away from causing harm, which is obviously fantastic.
“Tackling drug-related crime in areas in and around Nottingham city centre is one of the key features of the Operation Compass team, which also works alongside colleagues from our neighbourhood policing and Operation Reacher teams.
“We are dedicated to making Nottinghamshire a safer place to live, work and visit, so by taking this individual off the streets, we are delivering on our vision.
“We are extremely pleased to see that Nicole-Plackett has received a lengthy sentence and we hope he uses his time in prison to reflect on the way he’s living his life and make changes for the better.”
The Operation Compass team focuses on tackling drug dealing, begging and antisocial behaviour in Nottingham city centre, as a means of helping vulnerable people in the community break the cycle of offending.
• Pictures: Nottingham Pride March 2022
• CCTV appeal after woman injured in Old Market Square assault
