Cocaine dealer who lived the high life and flashed the cash now realises he made a mistake

Wales Online

a day ago

Cocaine dealer who lived the high life and flashed the cash now realises he made a mistake
A judge told the 26-year-old dealer: 'You were a businessman flashing the cash around, cash earned from the misery of others'
Scott Boland
(Image: South Wales Police )
A cocaine dealer refused to make deliveries to customers insisting they go to him to collect their deals, a court has heard. Scott Boland had been "trading" cocaine with fellow dealers involved in the supply chain.
A judge said the defendant had been running a business and been "flashing the cash around", money he had earned "from the misery of others". The court heard a restraint order had been placed on Boland's bank account preventing any moneys from being transferred out.
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Harry Dickens, prosecuting, told Swansea Crown Court that in April last year police involved in an unrelated drugs investigation seized phones from people in Clydach. He said suspicious messages found on the phone came from a number linked to the defendant, and arrest inquiries were commenced.
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The court heard that on the afternoon of August 16 police officers were in Clase looking for the defendant when they spotted him in Seven Road.
Boland made off on foot but was caught "after falling onto the bonnet" of his partner's parked Range Rover. A "scuffle" then developed during which an officer drew his Taser. Boland was eventually arrested and cuffed.
The prosecutor said the defendant was searched and found to have £345 in his wallet. An officer then dialled the number which had previously been found on the phones in Clydach, and Boland's began to ring. For the latest court reports sign up to our crime newsletter
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The court heard the defendant had been seen earlier that day driving a green Vauxhall Corsa car and officers located and searched the vehicle - inside they found "smiley face" snap-bags containing white powder.
The prosecutor said police then carried out a search of the defendant's home address in Morriston where they found cash in various envelopes, weighing scales with traces of white powder, bags of white powder, a large quantity of empty "smiley face" bags of the type found in the Corsa, and an extendable baton.
The court heard that the total amount of cocaine seized from the car and the house was 26.5g and the total cash seized was £2,960.
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The prosecutor said an analysis of Boland's phone found text messages and WhatsApp conversations related to the supply of drugs, and showed he had been sending out bulk text messages to contacts. He said in one of the exchanges a customer asked if he could "drop", that is make a delivery - Boland replied: "No. Pick up only".
The prosecutor said the messages also showed the defendant was not only involved in street dealing but was "trading" and buying and selling quantities of cocaine with fellow dealers in the supply chain.
Scott Boland, of Lan Street, Morriston, had previously pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to supply, being concerned in the supply of cocaine, possession of an offensive weapon in a private place, and possession of criminal property - namely cash - when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has one previous conviction for one offence, battery, for which he was sentenced to a conditional discharge.
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John Allchurch, for Boland, said the defendant began taking drugs at the age of 13 or 14, "largely due to peer pressure", and said this usage developed into a cocaine addiction. He said without a job his client then turned to dealing to fund his habit.
The advocate said that, following his arrest, Boland was able to wean himself off drugs and had been drug-free since last Christmas.
Judge Geraint Walters said he had read a letter written by the defendant and said it was clear Boland realised he had made a mistake and was remorseful for what he had done, but he described Class A drugs as a "scourge" on the lives of individuals and on the community as a whole and said Boland had chosen to involve himself in dealing.
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He told the defendant: "This wasn't a bit of street dealing - this was a business. You lived the high-life I dare say while those pathetic addicts craving their next fix would have been living a very different life. I accept you made a mistake - but it was a mistake you chose deliberately. You were a businessman flashing the cash around, cash earned from the misery of others."
With one-third discounts for his guilty pleas Bolan was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison. He will serve no more than half that sentence in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community.