Man took out Machete at Police during Drugs Bust

Mohammad Amin, aged 32, of Stoke-on-Trent, was jailed for three years and eight months after he brandished a machete at police officers during a drugs bust.

Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard the raid happened on Windermere Street on June 20, 2019.

Officers used pepper spray to help tackle the drug dealer to the ground and arrest him.

A search of an upstairs bedroom revealed a cocaine and heroin stash, worth approximately £18,000.

Richard McConaghy, prosecuting, said: “The front door was forced open. Mr Amin was standing in the living room.

“His immediate response was, ‘I’ve got a machete’. He ran upstairs and shut himself in a bedroom, repeating that he had a machete.

“He was confronted by the officers. As police came to the door he pulled a machete out of a sheath. One of the officers estimated the blade to be two-foot long. He brandished the weapon at head height.

“Mr Amin was told to drop the weapon. He didn’t. PAVA spray had to be used on him. It caused him to drop the weapon but he remained uncooperative.

“He had to be physically taken to the ground while he continued to resist.”

Packages of heroin and a “large quantity of cocaine” were discovered.

Mr McConaghy continued: “Also found were dealer bags, cling film, plastic gloves, two sets of digital scales and a cutting agent. Two lock knives and £140 in cash were seized.”

Amin’s fingerprints were found on one of the scales.

He pleaded guilty to two charges of possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply and a charge of affray.

In mitigation, Nick Cockrell said: “When the police executed the warrant, Mr Amin went upstairs and closed the door to the bedroom where the drugs were and went to another bedroom.

“What he was actually trying to do was deflect the police away from the room where the drugs were.”

“Mr Amin has been in custody since his arrest. It certainly hasn’t been an easy time. Over the past few weeks, he has essentially been in his shared cell 24 hours-a-day. His time in custody has had a real effect on him.

“He has shown a real determination to try to ensure that this is going to be the last sentence he serves.”

Judge David Fletcher told Amin: “There was a considerable amount of illegal substances at the property, much of it prepared for sale to individual consumers.”

Stoke Sentinel reported that Amin was jailed for three years and eight months.