A drug dealer has been sentenced to five years in prison after being caught by police.
Large amounts of Class A drugs were discovered in Sizwe Sibanda’s car when he was pulled over on the A617, near Mansfield.
A bag filled with a selection of drug wraps was found stuffed in a compartment inside the driver’s door, while wads of cash were discovered in his pockets.
Sibanda came to the attention of Operational Support officers when his vehicle triggered automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras.
After the system flagged that the car had potential links to the supply of drugs, the policing team quickly tracked it down and pulled it over on 5 December 2021.
Sibanda was caught red-handed, with further checks of the vehicle uncovering several mobile phones and more quantities of cash.
His home on Broxtowe Lane, Broxtowe, was also searched by police, leading to the discovery of more drugs, weighing scales, and 11 separate mobile phones, all of which were seized.
Despite the evidence against him, Sibanda denied the two counts of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs he was charged with.
However, a jury found the 31-year-old guilty of both offences following a trial that concluded at Nottingham Crown Court last Friday (29 November).
He returned to the same court on Monday (2 December), where he was sentenced to five years in prison.
Detective Constable Heather Jordan, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:
“This sentence should serve as a warning to anyone thinking of selling Class A drugs in our county that doing this will lead to severe consequences.
“Despite denying doing anything wrong, Sibanda knew full well that he had large amounts of heroin and crack cocaine in his car, not to mention around £1,500 in cash raised through dealing drugs.
“We’re pleased to see that the jury saw through his lies and that he’s now received a prison sentence befitting such a serious crime.”
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