A DRUG dealer was caught after receiving a package of cannabis in the mail — which was sniffed out by post office staff.

Geoffrey Sartin, 37, of High Street, Ventnor, was sentenced at the Isle of Wight Crown Court on Thursday after pleading guilty to three counts of drug dealing.

He admitted being concerned in the supply of cannabis, ecstasy and the hallucinogen 2C-B.

The court heard Sartin was arrested in December, 2017, after Ventnor Post Office discovered a package filled with cannabis. It was addressed to a non-existent 'Mr Parker' at Sartin's home address.

The police were called and a search carried out at Sartin's home.

Rob Harding, prosecuting, said: "When police searched his property, they found a safe. Inside it, they discovered a variety of drugs with a street value of approximately £2,700 — more than 100g of cannabis, 7g of MDMA, 46 ecstasy tablets and 25 tablets of 2C-B, which I believe is used as a substitute for ecstasy.

"When questioned by police, he told them he had been pressured into dealing to pay off a debt."

The court heard it took nearly two years to bring the offences brought before the court.

Oscar Vincent, defending, said: "Mr Sartin is a person of previously good character, and this is a one-off incident caused by him being pressured into it.

"His mental health and situation at the time caused him to be vulnerable to a ruthless supplier who though they could make money off of him while minimising their own risk.

"Mr Sartin had absolutely no influence on the chain of supply that was above him."

The court heard Sartin had co-operated fully with police following his arrest and had since sought drug rehabilitation treatment.

Judge Susan Evans said: "You said you were trying to pay off a debt but, looking at the amount of drugs, this is clearly quite a serious offence. Class A drugs do damage to us, and they do damage to the society around us."

Sartin was sentenced to a two-year prison term, suspended for two years.

He was given a five-month curfew, from 8pm to 5am, ordered to complete 30 rehabilitation days and pay court costs of £200.

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