A teenager caught in possession of £9,000 worth of drugs has been jailed.
Police spotted three men acting suspiciously while they were on foot patrol in Haslett Avenue, Crawley, on November 8, 2022.
As they approached them, one of the men immediately ran off. Officers chased him, noticing that he was dropping a number of packages as he wound his way through alleyways.
He was eventually caught and found to have two mobile phones on him, one of which rang persistently.
Police retraced their steps and discovered approximately 100 wraps of suspected Class A drugs in the alleyways.
The suspect was identified as 18-year-old Henry Orsini, a student, of Creasys Drive, Crawley.
He was arrested and a search of his home address revealed large quantities of suspected drugs packaged in bags, wraps and blocks.
The substances were tested and confirmed to be crack cocaine and heroin, and a drug expert calculated the overall value of the seized drugs to be in excess of £9,000.
Orsini was charged with being concerned in the supply of diamorphine and crack cocaine, which he pleaded guilty to.
At Lewes Crown Court on 13 January, he was sentenced to a total of 21 months’ detention in a young offender institution.
The court directed further offences of possession of diamorphine and crack cocaine with intent to supply to remain on file.
Investigating officer, Detective Inspector Debbie Ricks, said:
“It is clear from our investigation that Orsini was heavily involved in the supply of Class A drugs in the Crawley area, and it is concerning that someone of such a young age had such a significant role to play in this criminality.
“Illegal drugs cause tremendous harm to our communities, and it is thanks to our officers’ instincts that a large quantity of substances have been seized and destroyed, and a key player in the supply of these substances locked up.
“I hope this sentence will make people – particularly young people – realise that being involved in the supply of drugs is a serious offence which carries with it a significant risk of harm and a very real prospect of prosecution.”
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