Cocaine dealer monitored by undercover police was mainly out playing Pokémon Go, court told

A COCAINE seller being monitored by undercover police was primarily out on his personal taking part in Pokémon Go, a court docket was advised.

Raymond Phipps, 41, has been jailed for 5 years for his function in a “extremely refined” medication community.

Raymond Phipps, 41, has been jailed for 5 years for his function in a 'extremely refined' medication community, however was typically taking part in Pokemon GoCredit score: Solent

 However surveillance officers monitoring his actions for a yr discovered he was principally immersed within the fashionable online game Pokémon Go, which entails accumulating “creatures” exterior.

Phipps was adopted covertly throughout an investigation into a medicine gang that equipped cocaine in Andover and Basingstoke, Hampshire, for 12 months from December 2019. 

The daddy, from Basingstoke, was caught with £13,350 money — which he claimed was a marriage reward from his nan — in a Morrisons’ provider bag.

The intermediary was initially arrested in November 2020. He was discovered responsible of supplying cocaine and a conspiracy to provide the class-A drug.

Phipps was certainly one of seven convicted, with 5 beforehand jailed. 

Defending, barrister Ioana Nedelcu advised Winchester crown court docket that almost all of his actions had been of him taking part in Pokémon Go relatively than collaborating in drug dealing.

However Choose Nicholas Haggan mentioned that Phipps was a part of a “extremely refined and well-organised operation”. 

He advised him: “The offences you've dedicated are so critical neither a positive alone nor a group penalty might be justified.”