A drug dealer from Exeter has been jailed and his homeless accomplice slapped with a suspended prison sentence after they were caught selling heroin and crack cocaine in an undercover police sting.
Sam Searle, aged 21, and 19-year-old Riley Orchard, on Monday (September 29) appeared before Exeter Crown Court where they admitted two charges each of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs.
Searle, pictured here, of Leypark Road, Whipton, in Exeter, who also admitted carrying a large hunting knife in public, was jailed for three years and three months.
Orchard, of no fixed abode, was handed a two-year suspended jail sentence and ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work, and a rehabilitation programme.
Plain clothes police officers arrested the pair in the summer after spotting Searle selling drugs in a car park near Alphington, then outside a nearby church.
Orchard was picked up by police shortly after. He had been seen working with Seale, selling drugs.
Searle gave police his phone and warned officers he was carrying a large hunting knife.
On the way to police custody Orchard confided he had drugs hidden between bum cheeks and two bags of heroin and crack cocaine were found when he was stripped searched.
A Devon and Cornwall Police spokesperson said: “The court heard how on 22 July plain clothes officers witnessed Searle making an exchange with a known local drug user in a car park on Water Lane, Exeter.
“Searle was then seen meeting and making an exchange with another user outside a church while an event was going on inside.
“A short time later Searle was stopped by a team of officers and arrested.
“During the arrest Searle handed over his phone and told officers that he was carrying a large hunting knife on his hip. He was also found in possession of £300 in cash.
“Minutes later officers came across Orchard who had been seen working alongside Searle and making exchanges with local users.
“Both were arrested and a property Searle had been seen coming out of was searched.
“During the search large quantities of heroin and crack cocaine were located in the bathroom along with some mini scales and a small amount of cannabis.
“On the journey to custody Orchard told officers that he had drugs secreted between his buttocks. The subsequent strip search found two bags containing heroin and crack cocaine.”
The spokesperson added: “The ensuing investigation revealed that a burner type phone belonging to Searle was sending out bulk messages advertising drugs for sale. “Over 75 supply-ready wraps of heroin and crack cocaine were seized from the pair, along with other bags containing larger amounts of heroin.”
Sam Searle, 21, and Riley Orchard, 19, appeared before Exeter Crown Court on Monday, September 29 after pleading guilty to two charges each of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs.
Searle, of Leypark Road, in Exeter, also pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article in a public place. He was jailed for three years and three months.
Orchard, of no fixed abode, was given a two-year suspended sentence and ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work and participate in a rehabilitation programme.
