TWO cocaine traffickers were caught making a drug deal when undercover police spotted one of them breaching coronavirus rules after checking his car’s registration number.

Alex Maddocks, 32, from Pontypool, had driven to Newport to buy drugs from Callum Kemp, 23, the city’s crown court heard.

David Pinnell, prosecuting, said: “At around 3.30pm on April 9, undercover police officers saw a Volkswagen Golf in the Rodney Parade area of Newport making a three-point turn.

“The driver was Maddocks and a scan of his car’s registration showed he was from outside the area and was in breach of Covid regulations.

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“It appears he was using a mobile phone while driving. The officers were concerned and thought it was possible he was there to buy drugs.”

Mr Pinnell said Kemp then got into the car and the police moved in to arrest them but the latter got away.

He told the court: “Mr Maddocks was very helpful and told officers, ‘It’s under the seat. It’s cocaine.’

“They found 6.61g of cocaine with a purity of 82 per cent. The drugs were worth around £350.

“Kemp got into another car and there was then a foot chase in the centre of Newport near Millennium Walk.

“Thanks to a member of the public, police were informed that he was hiding in a bush.

“Kemp ran off again. Officers shouted for him to stop but during the pursuit, he threw a package into the river.

“It has never been identified or recovered. They did find on him though a large amount of cash – £804.40 – and nine wraps of cocaine worth £300 hidden inside a cigarette packet.”

Kemp, of Allt-Yr-Yn Road, Newport, and Maddocks, of Picton Street, Griffithstown, both pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to supply.

The court was told that Kemp had previous convictions for assault and possession of cocaine.

Maddocks had no offences on his record.

Richard Ace, mitigating for Kemp, a young father, said: “The defendant was dealing at a relatively low level to a user.”

Marian Lewis, representing construction industry worker Maddocks, said: “He was a man of previous good character.

“The defendant did sell cocaine to friends of his who were themselves users.

“He started taking cocaine on a casual basis but it became substantial daily use.”

Miss Lewis said the defendant’s family could be made homeless if he were sent to prison because they would be unable to pay the mortgage.

The judge, Recorder Caroline Rees QC, told Kemp: “You tried to get away and you threw a package in the river.”

He was jailed for 40 months.

When she told Maddocks she was suspending his prison sentence, he wept.

Recorder Rees said: “There is powerful mitigation in your case. I have seen how remorseful you are and there is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.”

She jailed him for two years, suspended for two years.

Maddocks must carry out 240 hours of unpaid work and a 10-day rehabilitation activity requirement.