One of four people found inside a Peterborough flat that had ‘closed’ by police following complaints of drug dealing, anti-social behaviour and exploitation of the tenant has been jailed.
Snowden Mayanika, 21, and three other people were found inside 25B Lincoln Road on 3 January, despite a partial closure forbidding visitors.
The order was put in place last December last year following complaints from local residents about drug dealing and anti-social behaviour, as well as concerns about the tenant being exploited.
All four were arrested after police searched the flat and found a plastic bag containing £400 in cash and a block of what was later confirmed to be about £4,000 worth of crack cocaine.
A search of Mayanika in custody found a plastic bag containing 16 wraps of heroin and crack cocaine in his underwear.
Analysis of mobile phones found at the flat confirmed a “burner” phone being used as a “deal line”, which was tracked moving to the same locations as Mayanika’s personal mobile phone.
Mayanika, of Broadway, Peterborough, appeared at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday, where he was sentenced to a year in prison after previously admitting possession with intent to supply crack cocaine and heroin, as well as breaching a closure order.
No further action was taken in relation to the drug offences against the other three people arrested alongside Mayanika.
However, one of them, Jessica Malpas, 34, was charged with breaching a closure order – she appeared at Huntingdon Magistrates’ Court on 4 January where she admitted the offence and was jailed for eight weeks.
Detective Constable Jenny Hargreaves, who investigated, said: “The local NPT have persistently with tackled the issues surrounding this flat, with 11 arrests for breaching the order, and then securing a full closure order on the property earlier in the year.
“Their regular checks have stopped the drug dealing and the associated anti-social behaviour and a class A drug dealer is no longer exploiting vulnerable people in the area.
“I hope this provides some reassurance to the local community that we are listening to their concerns and doing everything in our power to resolve the issues.”
The flat had been partially closed at the time of the offence but on January 29, Peterborough police secured a full closure order 3 months.
The partial order stated that the property was closed to anyone other than the legal tenant, emergency services, support services including Peterborough City Council employees, Cozy Homes staff and contractors for Cozy Homes.
The full closure order, which is in place until 29 April 2024, stated the property is closed to anyone other than emergency services, support services including Peterborough City Council employees, Cozy Homes staff and contractors for Cozy Homes.
Failure to comply with the order is a criminal offence which could result in up to three months imprisonment, a fine, or both.
