TWO police raids on a Carlisle takeaway food outlet uncovered evidence that the man running it was selling cocaine, a court heard.

Louis Rocha, 46, who was also storing more than £5,000 cash in a freezer, later told police that he had been selling the Class A drug to a small group of his friends in order to pay for his own addiction.

At the city’s crown court, the defendant, of Orton Road, Carlisle, pleaded  guilty to possessing the drug; and to being concerned in the supply of the drug between August, 2020 and July the following year.

Peter Barr, prosecuting, said police first raided Marios Takeaway on Botchergate on November  5, 2020, searching both the shop and the flat that is above it. They found a small amount of white powder.

It was 4.43g of cocaine, 37 per cent pure, worth £177. “Two mobile phones were also seized,” said Mr Barr. On one phone, police recovered messages which were consistent with the defendant being involved in cocaine supply.

A second phone could not be unlocked.

On July 2, 2021, police returned to Marios and conducted a second search. “On this occasion, no drugs were recovered but police found £5,190 in a freezer, along with two further mobile phones,” continued the barrister.

Once again, police recovered text messages from Rocha's phone, showing how people were requesting drugs from him. “Sets of scales, plastic bags, and items consistent with the supply of class A drugs were also recovered,” said the barrister.

The defendant told police: “I have a bit of sniff for my own use. I know what this is about; a lad was arrested yesterday.” He insisted that he was not dealing drugs.

But Rocha later pleaded guilty to the charges on a basis, saying that in the aftermath of his divorce he began using cocaine to fund his own addiction. He said the cash in his freezer was not the profits of selling drugs.

The money was a mixture of his business profits and money he made from selling E-scooters, he said. Rocha had only one previous conviction - for a public order offence.

A probation officer who interviewed Rocha said his “unpleasant divorce” had left him feeling distressed and depressed. “A friend told him to try cocaine because they said it would help,” said the officer.

Rocha also told the officer that he longer uses cocaine.

Jeff Smith, defending, said the defendant had lived in the UK for 15 years after leaving Portugal and had managed the Botchergate takeaway outlet for nine years. “He works seven days a week,” he said.

Judge Guy Mathieson told the defendant: “Probably the most stupid decision you have ever made was listening to your friend.” The judge said people who supplied Class A drugs went to prison. What saved Rocha from that fate, said the judge, was the fact that it had 18 months to get his case to the sentencing hearing.

He had escaped “by the skin of his teeth,” observed the judge.

Rocha was given 20 months jail, suspended for two years. His sentence includes 200 hours of unpaid work. “If you commit any criminal offences to do with drugs in the next two years, you will go to prison,” warned the judge.

He added: “You are a very lucky man, Mr Rocha.” The defendant must pay costs of £600. 

The prosecution said it would not pursue a proposed charge relating to the cash found in the defendant's freezer becasue it was not possible with any certainty to identify the source of that money was.