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Kent Police waited for David Akande from Norwood to pass drugs concealed in his body after staying in Tunbridge Wells

A drug dealer swallowed wraps of cocaine and heroin but came unstuck when nature took its course three weeks later, a court heard.

David Akande was jailed for seven years for committing his fourth offence of possessing drugs with intent to supply.

Maidstone Crown Court heard officers spotted a Rover car on Quarry Road in Tunbridge Wells travelling towards Camden Road on October 21 last year.

David Akande has been jailed for seven years after concealing cocaine in his body
David Akande has been jailed for seven years after concealing cocaine in his body

Driven by a woman, it pulled into a supermarket car park. Akande, 26, was a rear seat passenger. Others were also in the car.

Prosecutor Paul Valder said Akande and another man walked to a cul de sac. After a “brief encounter” they walked back in the same direction.

The car it drove off on the A26 towards Tonbridge. When it stopped it was boxed in by police cars. The doors were locked so officers broke the side windows and removed the ignition keys.

"The sentence as well as the indignity Akande has put himself through whilst in custody should serve as severe warning to anyone planning to deal drugs in Tunbridge Wells..." - Det Con Jeremy Taylor

Akande and others in the car were arrested. Akande was strip-searched and told to squat, but he made only a “half-hearted” effort, said Mr Valder.

“He seemed to be keeping his legs together and his buttocks clenched,” he told the jury. “He appeared to be pushing something between his buttocks.”

Akande was put in a cell and kept under constant watch to check if he “passed” any items.

The next day he was taken to a room to meet with his solicitor. CCTV was checked and he was seen fidgeting with his trousers, putting something into his mouth and taking sips of water.

“It was clear he was removing drug wraps from where they were hidden and washing them down with water,” said Mr Valder.

He remained in custody under supervision. Nine days later he asked to use the lavatory and two plastic objects containing cocaine were recovered.

The supervision continued when he appeared in court and nine more plastic “wraps” were seized, but did not contain traces of drugs.

He was returned to his prison cell and allowed to have a shower. Two objects dropped which contained a drug used as a cutting agent for cocaine.

Three days later more wraps with traces of both cocaine and heroin emerged.

Maidstone Crown Court. Picture John Wardley
Maidstone Crown Court. Picture John Wardley

Akande, of Sylvan Hill, Upper Norwood, south east London, denied the charge but was convicted by a 10-2 majority verdict.

After sentencing, Detective Constable Jeremy Taylorsaid: "Akande has lied throughout about his involvement in drugs despite the overwhelming evidence we have been able to show.

"He had mistakenly assumed that if he waited long enough he would be released from custody with little or no evidence to charge him.

"His arrogance and deceit, together with a previous history of convictions for drugs supply, have resulted in a substantial prison sentence.

"The sentence as well as the indignity Akande has put himself through whilst in custody should serve as severe warning to anyone planning to deal drugs in Tunbridge Wells."


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