A DRUG dealer arrested as part of a police operation following the death of a man in Andover from a dangerous strain of heroin has been jailed.

Casey Orleans-Thompson was sentenced to three years in a young offender institute last week after he was found in possession of nearly 100 wraps of class A drugs, with a street value of nearly £1,000, concealed in his underwear.

Winchester Crown Court heard how a police operation was launched in April to interrupt the supply of heroin to the town amid concerns following a “number of drug-related deaths”.

In a statement following the sentencing, Hampshire Police confirmed a 39-year-old man became unwell after using heroin at a Dene Court address on Wednesday, April 19, and died three days later in hospital.

They also confirmed that a number of other users had fallen “seriously ill” from what they believe was a dangerous strain of the class A drug.

Orleans-Thompson was first arrested in April and again on May 2. On appearing in court, the 19-year-old admitted to being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin between April 1 and April 21 and possession with intent to supply 71 wraps of crack cocaine and 26 wraps of heroin.

Dawn Hyland, prosecuting, told the court that Orleans-Thompson, of Pitfield Crescent, London, began dealing drugs in Andover following demands for money and threats from a London drug gang.

She said: “Mr Orleans-Thompson gave an account whereby he says that he bought a second hand car in September last year. After the purchase had taken place he started getting telephone calls saying he owed more money.”

Miss Hyland continued: “In April this year there were concerns about a number of drug-related deaths [in Andover] and the police decided to interrupt that supply and launch an operation.”

She added that the gang began threatening Orleans-Thompson’s family, a brick was thrown through their window and that he was told the only way he could repay the debt to the gang was to travel to Andover to deal drugs.

The defendant came to the attention of police and was first arrested in April. A search of the room in the Quality Hotel where he was staying revealed a mobile phone showing contact with a known gang member in London by the name of ‘Mitch’.

Describing how he came to be arrested for a second time in May, Miss Hyland said: “After that drug operation was launched the police had intelligence that that drug line was still active.

“On 2 May two well-known users were seen to walk into an alleyway to attract drug dealers and drug deals and were seen to be followed by the defendant.

“On that occasion the defendant was found to be in possession of £140 and a Nokia phone known as a ‘burner’ for use by drug dealers.

“He was taken to the police station and was strip searched and he was found to have a large amount of crack cocaine and heroin secreted in his underwear.”

Miss Hyland told the court that during interview Orleans-Thompson admitted that the cash was from drug deals and he told officers that he had been travelling to Andover everyday since April selling between £700 and £800 worth of drugs per day.

She said: “He said he made no money from it and he had no form of drug use. He was told to go to Andover to work and where to go to sell drugs.”

Orleans-Thompson also told the police in interview about the car purchase where he was pressured to pay more money and about the brick being thrown through the window of his family home. Your parents are here today. You have let them down.”

The 97 wraps of drugs found in his possession had a street value of £10 per wrap - nearly £1,000.

Requesting that Orleans-Thompson be given a suspended sentence to allow him to take up an offered place at university, Chloe Jay, mitigating, said: “He has no previous convictions and is of good character. He is an active member of his local church and prior to this he was of exemplary character.”

“His parents are here today and they are extremely disappointed by what has happened. They have said that he could never have done something like this unless he was coerced.”

Sentencing to three years in a young offender institute, of which he must serve at least 18 months, Judge Christopher Parker said: “You say you were acting under a degree of coercion when in April of this year you started dealing class A drugs.

“You pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin in April after you were arrested by police.

“The arrest did not put an end to your operation because on May 2, a matter of only a few days later, you were arrested again in the middle of dealing crack cocaine and heroin.

“You accept that your part of the deal was to supply the drugs and you would make over £700 a day for a sustained period of time.”

“You have no previous convictions, you are of previously good character and come from a stable family background.

Speaking after the hearing, PC Andrew Ferguson, of Basingstoke CID, said: “This sentence sends out a clear message that we will not tolerate people who come to Andover to commit offences.

“Casey Orleans-Thompson was arrested after a number of people fell seriously ill in April as a result, we believe, of taking a dangerous strain of heroin.

“His sentence makes it clear that people who come to Andover to deal drugs can expect to be caught.”