Chef jailed for postal drug dealing

Wednesday 11 December 2019

A local chef, whose drug dealing was discovered when a parcel of ecstasy addressed to him was intercepted by Customs, has been thrown behind bars for five-and-a-half-years.

David Francis Omeed Safapour (23) yesterday appeared in the Royal Court to be sentenced for six counts relating to his drug dealing business that he was running with someone based in the UK.

Crown Advocate Richard Pedley, prosecuting, summarised the background to the charges - importation, intent to supply and money laundering - for the Court.

He explained that Safapour’s offending had been uncovered when a Customs Officer on duty at the Jersey Post HQ had “selected a postal packet for further examination.”

Pictured: David Safapour was sentenced in the Royal Court yesterday.

This was a parcel addressed to Safapour – then a chef at a local restaurant – at his staff accommodation. It was found to contain 14g of MDMA, prompting a search of Safapour’s room.

The search uncovered a small quantity of a Class C drug tramadol, further ecstasy, cannabis and other drug paraphernalia.

The Court was told that in total, Safapour imported 28grams of ecstasy into Jersey and that he had ordered a further 28g which never arrived. He was also charged with importing 500g of cannabis, 300g of which he intended to supply and 200g of which he intended to keep for himself.

The money that was transferred between his account and that of another person based in the UK believed to also be involved in the drug dealing business also breached money laundering law – another charge which was brought against him after an investigation of his finances. 

The Crown invited the Court to impose a seven-year prison sentence.

Pictured: The former chef will begin his jail sentence at La Moye.

Advocate Michael Haines, representing Safapour, who focused on his client’s relatively young age at the time of the offending and his background.

Advocate Haines emphasised the fact that this offending took place in 2018 when his client was still 21 and therefore he should be looked upon as a young offender. In terms of Safapour’s background, his defence lawyer told the Court that he had been put into care as a child and that he had a “difficult upbringing.”

After leaving care at 17, Advocate Haines said that his client commenced studies at a college and has been in employment but turned to drugs as a coping mechanism.

Safapour, it was heard, has been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and has suffered “bouts of depression and anxiety” throughout his life.

The defence lawyer rasied this, “not as an excuse or justification”, but rather to speak to the “vulnerability” of his client. 

The case was heard by Jurats Grime, Averty, Blampied, Ramsden and Thomas and Royal Court Commissioner Sir William Bailhache presided over the hearing. 

For detailed reasons which will be given in a written judgment at a later date, the Court decided to sentence Safapour to five-and-a-half years’ imprisonment.