St Leonards man jailed over drugs and firearms

Carlton Meldrum, 23, of The Ridge, was sentenced to seven years for possessing heroin with intent to supply when he appeared at Snaresbrook Crown Court in London having previously pleaded guilty.

He was arrested on September 27 last year along with another man in a car in Ilford, East London.

Three kilos of heroin, a firearm and two rounds of ammunition were recovered from the car.

Meldrum had been charged and released on court bail after pleading not guilty.

But was arrested again in Bexhill on October 15 where he was found to be in possession of a further three kilos of heroin.

He pleaded guilty to this offence and on December 10 at Lewes Crown Court he was sentenced to three years and four months imprisonment.

The two sentences are to run consecutively.

The man arrested with him on September 27, 26-year-old Collins Osadebay of East London, was sentenced to eight years imprisonment after admitting being in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

The total estimated street value of the heroin seized was £300,000.

A Sussex Police spokesman said: “This investigation prevented substantial quantities of heroin reaching the streets of East Sussex and shows that law enforcement can have major impact of the trade in dangerous drugs.”

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