Drug dealer in Luton's '˜Jay-Z line' sent to prison

A key player in a Luton drugs operation known as the '˜Jay-Z line' has been jailed for nearly three years.

Nico Gonsalves, 27, of Icknield Road, Luton, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, namely heroin and cocaine.

Gonsalves was arrested as part of a major probe by Bedfordshire Police, which found he was a key player in the so-called ‘Jay-Z line’.

When he was arrested, he was found with a large amount of drug wraps containing heroin and cocaine, as well as cash.

Officers discovered that Gonsalves had spent around £5,000 hiring executive vehicles and been on regular holidays abroad. From his property they recovered a Rolex watch worth around £9,500 and a total of £4,735 in cash.

At Luton Crown Court on Tuesday (8 January), Gonsalves was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison.

Detective Inspector Justin Dipper said: “This was an extremely sensitive investigation involving numerous lines of enquiry, so we are pleased that he’s now behind bars.

“Drugs are extremely damaging to our communities and drug dealing won’t be tolerated in our county. We want to send a strong message to people who are looking into making a profit on other people’s misery, we will catch you and we will bring you to justice.

“There was lots of evidence of the cash-rich lifestyle that Gonsalves led. He will now spend time behind bars and hopefully he will use this time to reflect on his actions.”