November 27, 2017 2.30 pm This story is over 76 months old

Lincoln man hid crack cocaine inside his anus to avoid detection

He has been jailed.
Hamza El Haddad has been jailed

A man who hid £1,000 of crack cocaine inside his body in a bid to avoid detection has been jailed at Lincoln Crown Court.

Hamza El Haddad attracted attention after a PCSO saw him acting suspiciously in the George Shopping Centre in Grantham.

Abigail Joyce, prosecuting, said that the PCSO spoke to El Haddad and two men who were with him but El Haddad gave a false name and refused to give his address.

El Haddad told the PCSO that he did not have the power to arrest him but soon afterwards a police officer arrived and El Haddad was taken to Grantham Police Station.

Miss Joyce said: “The defendant was searched. Crack cocaine was found in wrapping which was inside his anus. There was 11.1 grams of crack. The value at street dealing level was £1,110.

“No drugs were found on the other two men.”

El Haddad, 21, of Swift Gardens, Lincoln, admitted possession of crack cocaine with intent to supply as a result of the incident on July 26 this year.

He was jailed for two years and nine months.

Recorder Gareth Evans QC, passing sentence, told him: “You have pleaded guilty to the serious offence of possessing crack cocaine with intent to supply. You were there carrying the drug and involved in its supply. I must pass an immediate custodial sentence.”

John Keal, in mitigation, said El Haddad was under pressure and had agreed to become involved in crack dealing as a way of paying off his own drug debt.

“He had no influence on those above him in the chain. To some degree there was pressure put on him. There was limited financial gain.

“The two best features of his mitigation are his age and his guilty plea.”