Costessey home used as base for crack cocaine street dealers

Jeremy Folkard, 49, and his 25-year-old son Rhys were arrested in a police raid at a house belonging to Andrew Gunby in Costessey following reports it was being used as a base for street dealing.

Phones seized in the police operation showed financial transactions into Gunby's bank account and messages urging drug buyers to “pay Andy”.  

Three members of the drug dealing operation were arrested at a property on Kost Road in October 2022 (Image: Google)

Norwich Crown Court was told quantities of crack worth hundreds of pounds and cash were subsequently discovered together with drug-selling paraphernalia, including a set of scales in Gunby’s bedroom. 

Azza Brown, prosecuting, said investigations had revealed he had two bank accounts: one used to receive benefit payments and a second that was used for the transfer of the proceeds of drug dealing.

READ MORE: Father and son ran Costessey cocaine dealing operation

Gunby, 37, of Kost Road, Costessey, admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine.

Andrew Gunby has been jailed for three years after admitting being concerned in class A drug supply (Image: Norfolk Constabulary)

Jailing him for three years, Judge Anthony Bate told him: “You were an important part of an operation that was controlled overall by Jeremy Folkard.”

Will Carter, mitigating for Gunby, said he had been “taken advantage of” as his long-standing crack addiction meant he had been paid in drugs.

READ MORE: Norwich dealer jailed over Norwich-Liverpool drugs line

“Relatively small sums had been paid into his account but that money actually went to Jeremy Folkard,” he said.

“He plainly had no influence on anybody above him in the chain.”

Jeremy Folkard who headed the cocaine dealing operation was jailed for four years and six months (Image: Norfolk Constabulary)

Jeremy Folkard, who was found with a bag full of cocaine when he was arrested at Gunby’s house, was previously jailed for four-and-a-half years.

He had been on bail at the time in connection with another drug dealing operation in 2021 run from Tottington Close in Bowthorpe.

His son was sentenced to 21 months, suspended for 18 months, due to the “limited extent of his criminality”.