"Naive" drug dealer jailed after supplying to get out of debt

Friday 23 April 2021

A “naïve and immature” drug dealer, who said he supplied cannabis and held onto cocaine worth up to £19,000 for someone else to reduce his own drugs debt, has been jailed for six years.

Nico Francis Destro (21) was sentenced in the Royal Court yesterday, after pleading guilty to dealing 700g of cannabis and cannabis resin, and planning to supply 100g of cocaine by "drip-feeding" it to another supplier.

Crown Advocate Lauren Hallam told Court Destro’s involvement in the local drugs supply was uncovered in November 2020 when officers found messages showing a suspect owed him a significant drug debt during a separate drugs investigation.

Pictured: The drugs seized at Destro's flat.

When officers went to Destro’s flat, he told them there were drugs in the property. Four wraps of cocaine were found hidden in a shoebox on the top shelf of a wardrobe. He said he was looking after them for someone he owed money to, who he refused to name.

“The longer I held onto it for the more my debt went down,” he told officers during an interview, “I’m in debt of around £2k now.” 

During the interview, Destro admitted he had used cocaine in the past and was a cannabis user. 

He denied supplying the cocaine or selling any of it by himself. However, he said that he would give part of the cocaine to the person he was holding it for, who would then return it at a later date. On one occasion, he packaged some of the cocaine at the individual’s request.

Pictured: Destro told Police during interview that he had been holding onto the cocaine as part of a bid to reduce his debt to another person.

In total, officers found 97.5g of cocaine of 40% purity, worth between £9,700 and £19,400. They also seized several items of drugs paraphernalia, including digital scales and plastic snap-seal bags, as well as approximately £300 in cash.

Destro later revealed that the cash was the proceeds of supplying cannabis, which he intended to give to his contact to reduce his debt. He also admitted to officers that he had supplied one person as young as 16, who he said owed him £6,000 for 200g of the drug.

Notes found on Destro’s phone showed he was owed a total of £15,250. A drug trafficking expert said the overall street value of the cannabis and cannabis resin Destro had admitted to supplying would have been between £20,000 and £27,000.

In her conclusions, the Crown Advocate described Destro as having played a “fundamental part” in the supply of cocaine and that the fact he had been entrusted with a “significant amount of cocaine”, which she he said he was “drip-feeding” to suppliers, showed he was close to the source of supply.

Defending, Advocate Luke Sette urged the court to consider Destro’s “relative youth”, noting he was still a young offender during the earlier part of the offences.

He described his client’s involvement in drugs as the result of “grave errors and poor decisions”.  

Pictured: Police analysed Destro's phone.

He told Court Destro had been cooperative with the authorities from the “very outset” by pointing out the location of the drugs in his home and volunteering information about his involvement in the supply of cannabis. 

Advocate Sette said Destro’s naivety and vulnerability had played a significant part in his involvement with drugs and his debt. 

A Social Enquiry Report noted Destro was a “vulnerable young man and may be easily influenced”. 

Destro’s parents echoed those comments, with his father noting he had issues with self-worth and was easily influenced by those around him, while his mum said he was naïve and immature.

Advocate Sette said Destro had thought about the potential consequences of his involvement with drugs not only for him but also for his family and the whole community and had resolved to “do whatever it takes” not to be involved with drugs again.

He added Destro had started a foundation degree in a bid to gain experience for a qualification and was hoping to get an apprenticeship upon his release.

The defence lawyers said Destro had pledged to use his time in prison in a constructive way and that he had the support of his family, who would make sure he does not find himself in the same situation again.

Concluding his address, Advocate Sette urged the court to reduce Destro’s sentence to six years in light of his cooperation with the authorities.

Pictured: Defence lawyers said Destro planned to use time in prison in a constructive way.

Returning the sentence of the court, the Deputy Bailiff Robert MacRae, who was sitting with Jurats Anthony Olsen, Rozane Thomas and Elizabeth Dulake, said it was “unfortunate” and a “pity” that a young man had decided to “make a living out of selling drugs” after trying a few jobs he didn’t like.

“Dealing in controlled drugs is no career at all, but a way of damaging the community in which you live,” he added.

He went on to say a “warehouse man or minder” plays a fundamental part in drug supply as they provide a “safe haven” for drug dealers and ensures the risk of their detection is minimised.

He sentenced Destro to six years in prison and ordered for the drugs to be destroyed, as well as making a confiscation order.

Turning to Destro he said: “We encourage you to take advantage of all the courses available to you whilst you are in prison and we earnestly hope that when you are released, you will put this offending behind you and become a working member of our society, following the example of your parents.”