Drug dealer locked up after being caught with £18k worth of class A drugs in Crawley

A drug dealer has been locked up after being caught with class A drugs worth thousands of pounds in Crawley.
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Police officers from the force’s Specialist Enforcement Unit (SEU) stopped Devante Bicette in a hire car, police said.

Bicette was driving in Northgate Avenue when he was stopped by a team from the unit on July 13. The unit had received information about how the hire car was linked to London drug dealing groups in Sussex, known as County Lines dealers.

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A spokesman said: “The SEU carries out enforcement operations on roads across the Sussex, targeting those involved in serious, organised and violent crime.

“Officers asked 25-year-old Bicette to step out of the vehicle, and body-worn footage shows him being evasive as an officer tried to search him.

“He then tried to make a dash for it, but was stopped and arrested on suspicion of possessing class A drugs with intent to supply.”

On his person, he had four wraps of class A drugs in his underwear and more than £200 in cash in his pockets, police said. In the car, police found more wraps and packages of drugs including cocaine, crack cocaine and heroin worth a street value of about £12,800 to £18,500.

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The spokesman added: “At Lewes Crown Court, Bicette, of no fixed address, admitted three counts of possessing class A drugs with intent to supply and obstructing a police officer in the execution of their duty.

Devante Bicette was caught with drugs worth thousands of poundsDevante Bicette was caught with drugs worth thousands of pounds
Devante Bicette was caught with drugs worth thousands of pounds

“He was jailed for a total of three years and was banned from driving for two years and four months.

“The court ordered £260 in cash seized to be forfeited.”

Speaking after the sentencing, Inspector Jonathan Hartley said: “Through targeted activity from the Specialist Enforcement Unit, Bicette was detained with a significant amount of Class A drugs found on him.

“The inquiry was managed by our SEU investigations team who sought a charge for drug supply and for a remand into custody.

Devante Bicette was caught with drugs worth thousands of poundsDevante Bicette was caught with drugs worth thousands of pounds
Devante Bicette was caught with drugs worth thousands of pounds
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“Due to the strength of the evidence and quality of our investigation Bicette pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

“The sentence imposed by the court demonstrates the seriousness of the offence and shows the SEU will continue to target those causing harm to our communities.”