A DRUG dealer was caught operating out of a Southampton property where he kept £35,000 worth of cannabis and ketamine.
Ryan Scriven was dealing from the unit he rented out in the city, dealing thousands of pounds worth of drugs, a court heard.
The 34-year-old, of Cuckmere Lane, made multiple trips to the area to sell the class B drugs.
Prosecutor Gary Venturi told Southampton Crown Court the overall street value of the half kilo of ketamine and 2kg of cannabis was £35,000.
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He said Scriven had played a “significant role” in the operation but said he has no previous convictions.
Scriven had denied two counts of possession with intent to supply class B drugs but was found guilty by a jury.
During the trial, it was claimed he had a ketamine and cannabis habit.
Jailing Scriven, Judge Nicholas Rowland said he was not persuaded by this, saying that this story had been “invented”.
However, Olivia Haggar, mitigating said he has accepted the jury's verdict and “understands he must be punished”.
Scriven, who is self-employed and works as a scaffolder at events was jailed for 18 months.
Ms Hagger said: “This is not the kind of case where there is evidence of significant quantities of cash or an extravagant lifestyle."
She said Scriven’s parents had left when he was very young, leaving him to care for his younger siblings.
Scriven was sofa surfing at the time he was dealing in 2020 as his life "fell apart" and he "didn’t feel like himself”.
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