Kirkstall Hill Leeds: Street dealers busted with more than £2,000 worth of drugs after cutting red light

Yannick Ntantu and Andre Tounde were “trusted lieutenants” in a drug dealing operation – until they were busted by police officers on patrol last year.

The pair were pulled over on May 19, having gone through a red light in Kirkstall Hill.

But when police officers asked for their details, they could smell cannabis coming from the Nissan Qashqai which was being driven by Tounde, 26.

The pair gave false details, but police asked for verification. It was when Tounde, of Montgomery Avenue, West Park, reached into the glove box that officers noticed a suspicious package.

That led to an “array of drugs” being found, including, cocaine, MDMA, ketamine and cannabis, as well as £850 in cash. The total street value of the drugs was estimated at £2,085.

Tounde and Ntantu, 27, of Lea Farm Row, Kirkstall, later pleaded guilty to two counts of possession with intent to supply a controlled drug of Class A, two counts of possession with intent to supply a controlled drug of Class B. They were sentenced at Leeds Crown Court on January 22.

Eleanor Mitten, for the prosecution, said: “Both defendants played significant roles and there was an expectation of financial advantage, as well as some awareness of the scale of the operation.”

In Tounde’s mitigation, it was argued that he was dealing to pay off a drug debt he had accumulated.

Defending, Glenn Parsons said: “He sadly travelled the path of taking drugs recreationally. Almost inevitably, he got into debt and owed favours, and was then asked to sell drugs on the street.

“Text messages showed that he was acting under the direction of other people.”

It was explained that when the defendants were tested for drugs at the station, neither returned positive results.

Judge Robin Mairs said: “Therefore, you were doing this for financial gain. You were both aware of the scale of the operation and were trusted lieutenants with drugs as well as money.”

Tounde was sentenced to 44 months’ imprisonment, while Ntantu was jailed for 49 months.