Cumwhinton dug dealer found with cocaine worth £110k jailed

Simon Pipes was jailed for six years after admitting possessing cocaine with intent to supply

A "high-level" drug dealer caught with cocaine worth almost £110,000 has been jailed for six years.

Weapons, high-value cars and luxury watches were also found when police raided Simon Pipes' home in Cumwhinton, near Carlisle, on 9 January.

Carlisle Crown Court heard the discoveries were made as police searched his home on unrelated matters.

Pipes, 29, of School Road, admitted possessing cocaine with intent to supply.

He also admitted possessing criminal property, namely cash and assets, totalling more than £100,000.

Police found more than half a kilogram of cocaine - some of high purity - in a kitchen drawer.

'Heavy profit'

Officers also found a gas-powered imitation handgun capable of firing air rifle pellets, two knuckledusters, Rolex and Hugo Boss watches worth tens of thousands of pounds and small quantities of ecstasy and cannabis.

Further investigations revealed Pipes had stashed cash totalling almost £60,000, drugs paraphernalia, a Porsche Cayenne, an Audi Q3 and a white Ford Transit van in two rented storage units in Carlisle.

Prosecutor Sarah Magill said Pipes was "breaking down and adulterating high purity cocaine to sell on at heavy profit".

The weapons, she said, were "indicative of someone functioning as a high-level cocaine dealer".

Pipes said he had fallen into debt after becoming addicted to cocaine and told the court: "I'm very sorry."

Kim Whittlestone, defending, said there were others above him in the hierarchy and he was "not to be the beneficiary" of all the money made through drug sales.

Judge Nicholas Barker told Pipes: "You were clearly directing and organising others below you. You are clearly selling at a significant scale. You expected substantial financial gain and I find that you received it."