TWO cocaine dealers who sent out text messages to hundreds of potential clients marketing their goods have been jailed for a total of nearly six years.
Kaine Peterson, 21, of Lime Crescent, Newport, and Daniel Williams, 29, of no fixed abode, Newport, were locked up for 32 months and 36 months respectively.
At Cardiff Crown Court, Marian Lewis, prosecuting, told how the pair were caught after mobile phone analysis by detectives unravelled their "substantial" operation.
Kaine Peterson
They admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine in Newport between July 2 and August 14.
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Nicholas Gedge, mitigating for Peterson, said his client came from a good family "unacquainted with the criminal justice system".
Nigel Fryer, representing Williams, told how the defendant had struggled with drug and alcohol misuse for a number of years.
Daniel Williams
The judge, Recorder Paul Lewis QC, said the text messages recovered by Gwent Police showed "unequivocally" both defendants were involved in dealing cocaine.
He told them they had been sending messages "to literally hundreds of potential purchasers of your wares" and were running a "substantial line of business".
Peterson and Williams will have to pay a £190 victim surcharge each upon their release from custody.
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