Teen Caught With £2.5k Of Drugs Jailed

A London teenager has pleaded guilty to possessing thousands of pounds worth of class A drugs with intent to supply in Southampton.

Jervan Francis concealed within his body heroin and cocaine with an estimated street value of more than £2,500.

The 18-year-old of Webber Street, Southwark, was arrested by officers from the Operation Fortress enforcement team on Graham Road in St Mary’s, Southampton, on March 12 this year.

DC Neil Smith said: 

“Jervan Francis was stop-checked and then seen to swallow several wraps of drugs he had in his mouth. At that point, he’d already concealed many more wraps inside his body.

“After we arrested him, we successfully applied to hold him in custody for 12 days during which time he passed more than a-hundred wraps in total.

“There is nothing to suggest Jervan Francis had been in trouble with the police before and it would appear that the teenager has been sucked into a life of crime. I hope he is able to mend his ways and get support through rehabilitation. 

“In the meantime, his conviction and sentencing serve as a warning and deterrent to others thinking of coming to Southampton to deal drugs.

“One of the aims of Operation Fortress is to make life unpleasant for people involved in drug-related crime and anyone who conceals drugs in this way can expect exactly the same treatment.”

Jervan Francis pleaded guilty at Southampton Crown Court on Tuesday, June 6, to two counts of possessing class A drugs. He was sentenced to 30 months in a young offenders’ institute.