Man handed himself in for drug dealing and handed over £7,000 in 'dirty' money

A man was so wracked with guilt about dealing drugs he handed himself into Norfolk police and gave up a bag containing £7000 in "dirty" money and drugs worth about £2000, a court heard.

Cagdas Ozmen, 24, went to police after speaking to his family in Turkey who told him he should hand himself in, Norwich Crown Court heard.

Daniel Setter, prosecuting, said Ozmen told police that after losing his job he had been recruited to sell cannabis in Norfolk and said the cash was money he obtained by selling drugs.

Mr Setter said Ozmen told officers that he had hidden items in an alleyway and police later recovered £7,000 in cash and a bag containing cannabis with a street value of £1,450 to £2,175.

Mr Setter said: "He said the money was dirty and was made from drug dealing."

He said Ozmen had been selling drugs under the direction of others.

Ozmen,  from Birmingham, admitted possession of cannabis with intent to supply and possession of criminal property on January 21, this year.

Richard Kelly, mitigating, said at the time of his arrest Ozmen had been using drugs and was then recruited into selling cannabis to pay for his own addiction after losing his job.

He said it came to a point where Ozmen tried to get out but was threatened and said: "He made a phone call to family in Turkey and confessed to them. It all came crashing round him and he had just had to get out.

"He knew what he was doing was very wrong so that is what he did. He gave up the money, he gave up the drugs."

Mr Kelly said Ozmen also went into rehabilitation and was now drug-free.

Judge Maureen Bacon said the case was highly unusual and there would have been no case against Ozmen but for his confession to Norfolk police, adding the advice he was given by his family about handing himself in was extremely good advice.

She said he now needed support and made an 18 month community order and ordered him to carry out 150 hours unpaid work.