Man threw drugs in toilet during raid, court hears

Deveire Young was allegedly trying to flush cannabis down a toilet when police found him

A drug dealer found with firearms in his van was caught trying to flush cocaine and cannabis down a toilet, a court was told.

Deveire Young, 30, has denied controlling the "Nutz" drugs line that supplied illicit goods from London into Harwich, Essex between November 2022 and February 2024.

A trial heard two handguns, ammunition and expensive jewellery were found in his house and van in Stratford.

Etienne Da Cunha and Dennis Da Silva Costa, both aged 31 and from Essex, have also denied acting as his drug runners in the north of the county.

Police became aware of the drug line operating in Harwich in 2023, Chelmsford Crown Court heard.

Police found jewellery and other expensive items, including clothes and watches, when they raided Mr Young's home, the court heard

Prosecutor John Carmichael said customers could order crack cocaine and heroin via a phone-based service that operated "a bit like Deliveroo".

He said Jason Anderson, of Stour Close, Dovercourt, and Alfie Sanchez, of Riley Avenue, Jaywick, were operating "at the business end" by taking and delivering orders.

They had both pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply crack cocaine and heroin, jurors were told.

"Despite making a good living, they were the front-of-house, the delivery boys," Mr Carmichael added.

Police linked Mr Young to Anderson and Sanchez after they recovered a Sim card from the latter during his arrest.

Drugs, cash and a mobile phone were found on the kitchen worktop at Mr Young's flat, jurors were told

A subsequent investigation found Mr Da Cunha, from Colchester, and Mr Da Silva Costa, from Clacton-on-Sea, were used as runners for the drug line.

They would travel to London when drug "restocking" was required and then deliver the illegal goods to Harwich, jurors were told.

Mr Young ran out the back of his house, jumped over a fence and entered another property when police came to arrest him on 27 February, Mr Carmichael said.

"When police caught up with him, he was trying to flush drugs down the toilet, including cocaine and heroin," the prosecutor continued.

He alleged when Mr Young was running, he dropped a set of keys, which led officers to a nearby van.

Etienne Da Cunha is accused of running drugs from London to Harwich

Inside the vehicle were more drugs, live ammunition and two guns - one of which had Mr Young's DNA on it.

Mr Carmichael said the drugs were being primarily sold to "the lost souls in the parks and town centres you see".

Mr Young, of Mortham Street, Stratford, denies a series of firearm, drugs and ammunition offences.

Both Mr Da Cunha, of Hanbury Gardens, Colchester, and Mr Da Silva Costa, of Priory Road, Clacton-on-Sea, deny conspiring to supply crack cocaine and heroin.

The trial continues.