Teenager jailed for drugs offences in Crawley

A teenager caught in possession of £9,000 worth of drugs has been jailed.

Police were on patrol in Haslett Avenue, Crawley, on 8 November 2022 when they spotted three men acting suspiciously.

As they approached them, one of the men immediately ran off. Officers gave chase and the suspect discarded a number of packages as he meandered his way through a number of alleyways.

He was eventually detained and a search revealed he was in possession of two mobile phones, one of which rang persistently.

Police retraced their steps and discovered approximately 100 wraps of suspected Class A drugs in the alleyways.

The suspect was identified as 18-year-old Henry Orsini, a student, of Creasys Drive, Crawley.

He was arrested and a search of his home address revealed large quantities of suspected drugs packaged in bags, wraps and blocks.

The substances were tested and confirmed to be crack cocaine and heroin, and a drug expert calculated the overall value of the seized drugs to be in excess of £9,000.

Orsini was charged with being concerned in the supply of diamorphine and crack cocaine, which he pleaded guilty to.

At Lewes Crown Court on 13 January, he was sentenced to a total of 21 months’ detention in a young offender institution.

The court directed further offences of possession of diamorphine and crack cocaine with intent to supply to remain on file.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Alicia Smith, said: “It is clear from our investigation that Orsini was heavily involved in the supply of Class A drugs in the Crawley area, and it is concerning that someone of such a young age had such a significant role to play in this criminality.

“Illegal drugs cause tremendous harm to our communities, and it is thanks to our officers’ instincts that a large quantity of substances have been seized and destroyed, and a key player in the supply of these substances locked up.

“I hope this sentence will make people – particularly young people – realise that being involved in the supply of drugs is a serious offence which carries with it a significant risk of harm and a very real prospect of prosecution.”