A DRUG dealer using a barber shop as a front to supply heroin and crack cocaine in Newport city centre has been jailed.

Police found dozens of wraps when they raided Akram Kafi’s “business” on Commercial Road in the Pill area last month, prosecutor Jason Howells said.

Officers recovered class A drugs and cannabis worth more than £2,000 from Kafi Barbers, Newport Crown Court heard.

Cash and an Apple iPhone containing drug related message were also seized.

Mr Howells said: "An officer noticed the defendant putting his hands down his trousers and believed he was trying to hide items.

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​"He was taken to a rear room to be strip searched but became agitated when asked to lower his boxer shorts and seemed to be reluctant to do so.

South Wales Argus:

Akram Kafi 

"As he lowered his boxer shorts, a yellow plastic Kinder Egg fell to the floor and opened showing the contents to be a number of wraps."

He added: “The defendant played a significant role in an area that’s rife with drugs.”

Kafi, 28, of Commercial Road, Newport, pleaded guilty to possession of heroin, crack cocaine and cannabis with intent to supply.

The offences were committed on October 20.

The court was told the defendant was jailed for 15 months last year for unrelated matters.

South Wales Argus:

Kafi Barbers (Picture: Google)

He has previous convictions for assault occasioning actual bodily harm, possession of an offensive weapon, harassment, breaching a restraining order.

His latest offences were committed whilst he was on licence.

Gareth Williams, representing Kafi, said: “He takes full responsibility for what he has done.

“The defendant came to this country from Sudan in 2015 as a refugee.

“All of his family are still in Sudan and he is on his own.”

Mr Williams told the court his client has a girlfriend who is pregnant with their child.

The judge, Recorder Duncan Bould, told Kafi: “You were running what appeared to be a legitimate business in a main area of the city as a cover for drug supply.

“Class A drugs cause significant harm to people’s lives whatever the more glamorous aspects of recreational drug taking might appear to be.

“Both heroin and crack cocaine can easily destroy people’s lives.

“An aggravating factor in your offending is that there wasn’t a single drug you were involved in, there were three.”

Judge Bould jailed Kafi for four years.

The defendant is due to face a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing next year.

Outside the court, 

PC Sean Higgins, the officer in the case, said: "Akram Kafi was using his barber shop as a front for his drug dealing enterprise.

"This barber shop was in the heart of the community and was the epicentre for many of the troubles that come to the area.

"Illegal drugs have no place in our society, we will continue to target anyone involved in drug supply and enforce robustly.

"We encourage people to continue to report any such concerns so we can take action”