Man Prosecuted As ‘Legal Highs’ Found To Contain Controlled Drugs

Newport City Council’s trading standards department has secured a successful conviction for the sale of new psychoactive substances (NPS) in the city. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

David Olsen, who ran both Bodyfashion/Inksposure, 24 Cardiff Road, and New City Ink, 5 Griffin Street, was found to be selling NPS, also as known as legal highs, which were found to contain controlled drugs. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

He was found guilty of stating, or otherwise creating the impression that a product can legally be sold when it cannot, at Newport Crown Court on Monday 25 April 2016. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In 2013, trading standards carried out an exercise to establish the number of premises selling NPS in the city. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

As part of that exercise a trading standards officer purchased NPS from New City Ink where they were advised that is was intended to act like, and should be taken in a similar way to cocaine or amphetamine. On 27 August 2013, a purchase was also made from Bodyfashion/Inksposure. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The substances purchased were sent for forensic examination and one NPS (Ivory Dove) purchased from New City Ink, was found to contain both Class A and Class B controlled drugs. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Officers from Gwent Police, accompanied by trading standards officers, executed warrants under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 at both premises seizing 439 packets and containers of NPS, together with documentation and other associated items. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Charges were brought by Newport City Council Trading Standards Section under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 and the matter was heard at Newport Crown Court on Monday 25 April 2016. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Although Olsen had previously entered a not-guilty plea, this was changed to guilty on the first day of the trial. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Olsen was sentenced to 16 weeks imprisonment suspended for 12 months and a six-month supervision order was made. He was also ordered to pay a contribution of £500 towards the prosecution costs, and an £80 victim surcharge. All seized NPS were forfeited to be destroyed. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​