Jersey man given thousands of pounds in cash at a bar jailed for drug dealing

A Jersey man has been jailed for drug dealing.Timothy Ayers, 43, was jailed for two years and six months at the Royal Court today (19 September) for dealing cocaine.Ayers was given £15,440 in cash at a bar in St Helier on 19 May 2023 by Darren El Mettouri, 41, from Guernsey, who had arrived in Jersey on a private boat. El Mettouri was arrested on the way back to his boat while Ayers was arrested at the same time in the bar. El Mettouri was found in possession of a 'personal amount' of cocaine and £600. He initially denied meeting Ayers or any involvement in drug trafficking but later admitted meeting Ayers and supplying cannabis in Guernsey.

Jersey Customs found Ayers in possession of a 'personal amount' of cocaine, £15,440 in Guernsey banknotes and a notebook listing names with cash amounts alongside them, including that of El Mettouri. El Mettouri is currently serving a four years and four months sentence for supplying cannabis and failing to declare cash at export. Luke Goddard, Senior Manager of the case for Jersey Customs and Immigration Service, said: "This operation is a perfect example of the close working relationship that exists between Jersey Customs and Immigration Service (JCIS), Guernsey Border Agency (GBA) and States of Jersey Police (SoJ) and the ability to undertake covert activity against drug trafficking syndicates operating in the Islands."It also shows that JCIS will target the proceeds of drug trafficking as well as the movement of the drugs themselves.”

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