Ellesmere Port man jailed for drug dealing and firearm offences

A class A drugs dealer has been jailed after officers found around £5,000 worth of high purity cocaine in his Ellesmere Port home.

Quantities of class B drugs ketamine and cannabis were also seized during the raid in Richmond Court on Friday 9 April.

Cannabis was found in both Kyle Arathoon’s address and in his car parked outside.

The boot of the grey Volvo S60 contained a small firearm that fires blanks and irritant gas cartridges.

CCTV footage from the days leading up to the raid showed Arathoon accessing the boot of the car.

The 19-year-old was at home when officers investigating the supply of illegal drugs in Ellesmere Port executed the warrant.

The total estimated street value of all the drugs they seized is up to £7,065.

Arathoon was arrested by the officers and he subsequently refused to answer questions in custody.

However – after being presented with the strength of the evidence against him, including messages relating to drug dealing on his mobile phone that officers seized during the raid – he pleaded guilty to seven offences as soon as the case progressed to a crown court.

Arathoon admitted being concerned in the supply of class A drug cocaine and class B drugs ketamine and cannabis at Chester Crown Court on Thursday 20 May.

He also pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply the three illegal drugs and possession of a Section 5 firearm.

Arathoon returned to the court to be sentenced on Monday 21 June.

He was jailed for total of 51 months.

Detective Sergeant Graeme Carvell, who led the investigation into Arathoon’s crimes at Ellesmere Port Local Policing Unit (LPU), said: “The warrant we executed on Friday 9 April came on the back of intelligence we had gathered regarding the supply of illegal drugs in the town.

“A substantial quantity of drugs and an illegal weapon were seized as a result of the warrant.

“We seized high purity cocaine with a value up to £4,910, ketamine with a value up to £1,920 and cannabis with a value up to £235.

“Those drugs were destined for our streets.

“Illegal drugs have a hugely detrimental impact on communities.

“They cause untold damage to the lives of both those who use the drugs and become dependent on them and the wider community who suffer from the resulting crime.

“Kyle Arathoon was using his home as a base to supply illegal drugs to addicts and other drug users.

“He is now behind bars facing the consequences of his actions.

“I hope this case deters others from getting involved in the supply of illegal drugs.”

Chief Inspector Ian Stead, also of Ellesmere Port LPU, added: “Drug dealing in the town or elsewhere in Cheshire will simply not be tolerated.

“While this investigation has been resolved with a class A drug dealer and a substantial quantity of cocaine and other illegal drugs being taken off our streets, our fight against such drugs and those who supply them continues.

“Intelligence supplied by members of the public is crucial to this fight and I urge anyone with any information about suspected drug related activity in their community to get in touch.

“You will be listened to and we will investigate the matter.”

You can report suspected drug dealing to Cheshire Constabulary directly by calling 101 or giving the details online via https://www.cheshire.police.uk/ro/report.

Alternatively, information can also be given anonymously, via Crimestoppers, on 0800 555 111.