A drug dealer has been put behind bars for ten years after he was found to be accepting illegal substances through the post.

Officers from the Isle of Man Constabulary had already found significant amounts of cannabis at a property in Ramsey that Lewis Jack Moulder Kelly was staying at before police were alerted to suspicious packages found at the Post Office’s sorting office in Douglas.

Kelly, 25, appeared at the Court of General Gaol Delivery on Monday having previously admitted being concerned in the production of cocaine, being concerned in the production of cannabis and possession of cannabis with intent to supply.

The court heard the Ramsey property Kelly was staying at was searched on October 12 last year where officers found 58 wraps of cannabis worth £1,168 along with several items drug paraphernalia, such as weighing scales and cannabis grinders.

Two days later, on October 14, staff at the sorting office alerted police officers to a suspicious package which was sent from Manchester and addressed to Louis Oakey at a Ramsey property.

Inside a total of 512.94g of cocaine, with a street value of £51,294, was discovered alongside almost 2kg of cannabis with a street value of £39,732.

The combined street value of the drugs was estimated to be at more than £90,000 by police.

The man living there was initially arrested but the package was eventually linked to Kelly when the social security division confirmed he also went be the name Oakey and used it when claiming disability living allowance.

Kelly handed himself in and he was arrested.

Advocate Helen Lobb, representing Kelly, told the court her client admitted the offences but there was a basis of plea.

She said he owed a drug debt of between £15,000 and £21,000 and that he was not intending to sell the drugs for personal profit but to pay back his debt. He also said he did not agree to sell cocaine and thought the package contained only cannabis.

Miss Lobb added: ‘My client was homeless at the time and was sofa surfing. He is vulnerable and has difficulties.

‘There was no stability in his life at the time, and he had a significant drug debt. He was the perfect candidate to be taken advantage of.

‘He is now in full time education in prison, and, at the conclusion of his sentence, he will have some qualifications to get employment.’

Kelly was jailed for nine years two months for being concerned in the production of cocaine and four years concurrently for being concerned in the production of cannabis. He was handed a further ten months consecutively for possession of cannabis with intent to supply.

In handing Kelly the ten-year sentence, Deemster Graeme Cook said: ‘Some people may find such a sentence harsh but, while the island is trying to rid itself of drugs, I believe it is justified.’