A young drug dealer was caught red handed when police launched a major operation to help a seaside town clean up its image and encourage more visitors.
Tabrak Ali travelled from South London to Weston-super-Mare to sell cocaine but was spotted by police who were concerned about the extent of drug dealing on the seafront.
The 21-year-old Somali immigrant was seen handing over a package to a buyer and still had the £25 in cash in his hand when he was grabbed by plain clothes officers.
Ali, of Charters Close, Croydon, denied supplying a class A drug but was found guilty by a jury at Bristol Crown Court at a trial last month.
He was ordered to do 100 hours unpaid community work and receive supervision under a community order by Judge Graham Cottle, sitting at Exeter Crown Court.
He said he was not sending him to jail because he has already served the equivalent of a 16 months sentence while on remand.
Miss Emily Pitts, prosecuting, said Ali was seen selling a single wrap of cocaine by a police team carrying out covert surveillance on the seafront of Weston-super-Mare in February.
She said:"Officers saw two men acting suspiciously. They saw a man approach the defendant and both men were arrested.
"The customer was found with a single wrap of cocaine and the defendant was found with £25 on him from the transaction.
"The police were mounting the operation because they were concerned about the effect of the supply of drugs on Weston-super-Mare, where the town is currently trying to undertake redevelopment but businesses have been reluctant to relocate."
Mr Barry White, defending, said Ali was led astray by bad influences in the Somali community in South London where he has grown up. He said he has already learned his lesson by serving eight months on remand.
Judge Cottle told Ali:"The more constructive way forward in your case is by supervision. You are still a young man and you have not previously received supervision, so it is right to try that option."
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