Laughing gas dealer caught after telling police drugs were Christmas presents
Police have released footage of the moment a drug dealer was arrested after telling officers packs of laughing gas canisters in his car were Christmas presents.
Thomas Salton, 30, became the first person in the UK to be jailed for possessing laughing gas since it was classified a Class C drug in November last year.
He was sentenced to 35 months in prison at Basildon Crown Court on Monday after pleading guilty to possessing nitrous oxide with intent to supply at a hearing last month.
Following the conviction, Essex Police released footage of the moment Salton was caught in a plan to supply a Christmas party with ketamine and nitrous oxide.
Video shows Salton, of Brentwood, notably nervous and agitated after he was pulled over in his Range Rover in Basildon on Dec 1.
When asked whether he has anything illicit inside his vehicle, Salton tells the officer he has “Christmas presents” and later repeats the claim when police tell him “honesty is the best policy”.
The footage then pans to the boot of the Range Rover where officers found party bags containing items such as Christmas crackers and sweets alongside grip-sealed bags of ketamine, together with nitrous oxide canisters with balloons.
More than £38,000 in cash was also seized. Police also found in the car a “naughty” and “nice” list of customers, with gift bags for those on the naughty list, the CPS said.
A spokesman for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said 60 small canisters of the Class C drug and 48 one-gram bags of ketamine were recovered from the vehicle.
A further 408 nitrous oxide canisters and 965 grams of ketamine were later found at a property Salton was renting 10 miles from his home.
‘Hippy crack’
Salton pleaded guilty to possessing nitrous oxide with intent to supply at a hearing last month.
He also admitted possessing ketamine with intent to supply, possession of a Class A drug and possessing criminal property, in relation to the cash, according to the CPS.
Alex Hinds, a prosecutor for CPS East of England, said: “The evidence against Thomas Salton was overwhelming and this case is an example of all parts of the justice system working together to get drugs and those who sell them off the streets.
“The change in the law coupled with the actions of the police has allowed the CPS to present the strongest case in court and put Thomas Salton out of business and into prison.
“Nitrous oxide is a dangerous drug and hopefully this first conviction will deter those thinking of buying or selling it.”
Nitrous oxide, nicknamed “hippy crack”, was made a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 last November, as part of the Government’s anti-social behaviour action plan.
This means possession of nitrous oxide, where a person intends to wrongfully inhale it for a psychoactive effect, is now an offence and dealers could face up to 14 years behind bars.
It is still possible to use the gas for legitimate reasons, such as catering, pain relief during labour or in model rockets.
