Judge: 'You've shamed your family with drugs'
AN Easton man who held drugs to help pay a £5,000 loan has been jailed for 18 months.
Abukar Abukar stashed almost £1,000 worth of cocaine and heroin in socks secreted under stairs, Bristol Crown Court heard.
Though police found he had £12,000 cash, it could not be proved it was proceeds of crime.
Abukar, 26, of Belton Road, pleaded guilty to possessing class A drugs diamorphine and cocaine in May, but denied possessing criminal property.
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Judge Carol Hagen told him: "You put yourself in a position of being vulnerable by someone asking you to look after drugs.
"Drug dealers frequently approach people such as you for that very purpose.
"You are 26 and you have to take responsibility for what you've done.
"You have brought great shame on your family and you will have to live with that.
"Those who look after class A drugs for someone else have to go to prison."
The judge confiscated £339 from Abukar as proceeds of crime, payable in 28 days, and order the destruction of his drugs.
Kenneth Bell, prosecuting, said police searched Abukar's address in May and found two wraps of drugs under his pillow and more wraps in socks under stairs.
In all, 87 wraps were found, weighing 18g and estimated to be worth £840.
Abukar said he was looking after the drugs for "someone" because he owed £5,000, Mr Bell said.
Richard Nile, defending, said the offending was a step up from his client's use of cannabis in the past.
He told the court: "This was pressure which was self-induced. Substantial money was being borrowed. There was a threat that his family may be involved. That was something he couldn't entertain."
Mr Nile said his client's family came from Somalia via Holland to the UK in 2003.
He said though Abukar obtained A-levels and was set to study at the University of the West of England, two close friends died and he started mixing with the wrong crowd.
He said: "He is a little embarrassed by the way he has let his family down."
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