Luton drug dealer caught flushing heroin down toilet at Leighton Buzzard house jailed for 10 years

A revolver and ammunition were found buried in the garden of another property
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A Luton drug dealer, who was arrested after he was caught flushing heroin down the toilet at a property in Leighton Buzzard, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Mali James, 29, was initially stopped whilst driving his white Mercedes in December 2018 by officers who were carrying out proactive patrols after they noticed a strong smell of cannabis.

James ran from the vehicle but left behind two mobile phones, which were both seized.

Mali JamesMali James
Mali James

When a warrant was carried out at his home address in Leighton Buzzard in April 2019, he was spotted by an officer through the window, but delayed answering the door.

Once officers entered the property, they discovered a single wrap of drugs and a lot of water around the toilet.

During the search, more than £10,000 in cash was seized and thousands of pounds worth of designer clothing were recovered. James was subsequently arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply class A drugs and money laundering.

In May 2019, a property linked to James in Leighton Buzzard was searched, and large quantities of crack cocaine, heroin and cocaine were recovered, as well as a revolver and ammunition buried in the garden.

Drugs recovered by policeDrugs recovered by police
Drugs recovered by police

James, now of Regis Road, Luton, was sentenced last Thursday (March 17 ) to 10 years in prison after being found guilty of two counts of conspiring to supply Class A drugs and money laundering offences.

Bedfordshire Police’s dedicated guns and gang’s unit Boson regularly carry out proactive patrols and enforcement in a bid to combat serious organised crime.

Investigating Officer Gary Hales said: “James was responsible for distributing illegal Class A drugs on the streets of Bedfordshire and was a senior figure in a well-known organised crime group.

“Drugs have a significant impact on our communities and are often the driving force behind serious youth violence, exploitation and antisocial behaviour.

A revolver was recovered by policeA revolver was recovered by police
A revolver was recovered by police

“We will continue to work with our partners and the public to ensure that Bedfordshire is a hostile place for organised crime groups to operate.”

Anyone with information about drug dealing or wider organised crime activity can report it via Bedfordshire.police.uk/report or by calling 101.

All of these reports are fed into police intelligence and can help detectives build up a picture of organised crime, even if police do not act on the information straight away.

For more information about the response to organised crime in Bedfordshire and where to get support visit bavex.co.uk.