A man from Cardiff who claimed a drug phone found by police in his apartment had been stored in a bowl of rice for drug dealer friend who had dropped it in a puddle outside his address, has been jailed.
It is one of a catalogue of excuses 28-year-old Ahmed Mohamed, of Cardiff, gave officers while being questioned in police custody.
He had been linked as the owner of a mobile phone which officers were able to prove was used together with a known drug phone and arrested by officers on November 24, 2025, in the street outside his apartment in The Boulevard.
Officers were preparing to execute a search warrant as he pulled up in his rented car, and he was arrested on the spot.
During a search of his car and his apartment, officers found crack cocaine, cocaine, digital scales, a money counting machine and a knife in a sheath. While searching him officers found crack cocaine hidden in his underpants.
While questioned in custody, Ahmed denied being a drug dealer. He told officers a drug phone found in his apartment was being held for a drug dealer who had dropped it in a puddle outside his house and forgotten to collect it. He said he offered to keep it in a bag of rice to dry it out. He also claimed drugs found – potentially worth more than £3k – were for self-use, and that he kept drugs in his pants so he wouldn’t lose them. A money-counting machine seized from his flat was supposedly for use in a music video.
But detectives from the Cardiff and Vale Organised Crime Unit built a strong case which resulted in him pleading guilty to being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and cocaine, possessing with intent to supply crack cocaine and cocaine, acquiring criminal property – namely money, possessing a knife in a public place, and driving while disqualified.
On Friday, January 30, he appeared to be sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court and was jailed for four years and four months.
Detective Constable Adam Fenlon said:
“He tried every excuse to deny he was a drug dealer but in the end the evidence mounted-up and he had no other viable option but to plead guilty.
“His arrest was the culmination of some excellent phone forensic work which allowed us to link him directly to a drug phone we were investigating.
“Our team is committed to putting drug dealers out of business and into jail and this work will continue.”
