Penryn man faces jail for drug dealing (From Falmouth Packet)

Penryn man faces jail for drug dealing

9:21am Tuesday 28th August 2012 in Falmouth/Penryn

A PENRYN property services contractor faces prison after being convicted of possession of drugs with intent to supply others.

Olumide Abiola, 53, was stopped by police officers when he was the front seat passenger in a taxi in the early hours of September 8 last year in Falmouth Road.

A search of his rucksack found £187 worth of cannabis and £770 in cash.

A subsequent search of his home revealed more drugs, including quantities of cannabis, cannabis resin, amphetamine and the designer drug MDVP, also known as 'Meow Meow'. The total street value of the haul was estimated as being in excess of £2,000.

A jury of eight women and four men at Truro Crown Court found Abiola, of South View, Penryn, guilty by 11-1 majority verdicts. He has been remanded on bail to await sentence, on a date to be fixed, following the preparation of a probation officer's report.

During the trial, Abiola declared "absolutely not" when asked by his advocate, Robin Smith, whether he was a drugs dealer.

He admitted being a very heavy user but said he had never sold drugs. He began smoking cannabis when he was 18 and went on to cocaine in 1993 when employed as the manager of an adults shop in Soho. "I like cocaine, it is my favourite, but when it became expensive I turned to amphetamine," he explained. "I have had a problem with drugs for many years."

Abiola explained that the cash the police seized had been payments he received from customers for whom he bought materials for his property maintenance services.