Moment Bristol police discover 1.5kg cocaine brick buried underground

Body-worn footage from Avon and Somerset Police shows the moment officers discovered 1.5kg of cocaine hidden underground

Four people involved in supplying drugs worth almost half a million pounds have been jailed following a police operation.

Footage from Avon and Somerset Police shows the moment officers discovered 1.5kg of cocaine hidden underground.

In total, the force seized four kilos of cocaine worth approximately £320,000 during the six-month investigation.

Officers also discovered large quantities of cash, drug paraphernalia and weapons including knives during searches.

Three men and one woman were arrested and pleaded guilty to drug offences. They were sentenced to more than twenty years in prison at Bristol Crown Court.

Detective Chief Inspector Ben Lavender said the sentences conclude a "significant policing operation" targeting a group of people supplying cocaine in Bristol.

The first arrest was made in March 2023, when officers pulled over Austen Barnes-Sargeant in Filton after he was spotted driving erratically.

The 31-year-old failed a roadside drugs test and was found to be in possession of around £3,000 in cash, cocaine and cannabis.

Officers found more class A and class B drugs, a further £4,000 in cash and a stun gun after searching his home address.

They also found text messages from Barnes-Sargeant which proved his involvement in supplying cocaine during the subsequent investigation.

In May 2023, officers carried out a warrant at the home of Carlie Bridges in Fitzroy Street, south Bristol.

A search of the address found a cannabis plant and a small amount of the class B drug. Officers also found £70,000 worth of cocaine in a wheelie bin outside the property.

Bridges’ phone showed the 35-year-old had had involvement in supplying cannabis for over 12 months from March 2022.

The final stage of the investigation came in August 2023, when police stopped an Audi being driven by Barnes-Sargeant – who was on bail while enquiries into his other drugs offences were ongoing and prior to his driving disqualification – in Bristol.

A search of his car found him to be in possession of approximately half a kilo of cocaine. He was the sole occupant.

Later that same afternoon, officers arrested Paul O’Shea. The 41-year-old's BMW was searched after being stopped in Tunley, near Bath, and two 1kg blocks of cocaine were seized.

Enquiries showed that both Barnes-Sargeant and O’Shea had been in contact with Kyle Joyner prior to being stopped and arrested by police.

A warrant at Joyner’s address found a further 1.5kg of cocaine, which he’d attempted to hide underground. The 30-year-old was arrested at a hotel room in Kent two days later.

Barnes-Sargeant was jailed for six years, for two counts of possession with intent to supply a class A drug, two counts of being concerned in the supply of a class A drug, one count each of possession of a class A and B drug, acquiring criminal property and possession of a weapon for the discharge of electrical incapacitation device.

Bridge was sentenced to 24 months in prison, suspended for two years, for one count each of being concerned with the supply of class A and class B drugs.

She was also ordered to carry out 70 hours’ unpaid work and 15 days’ rehabilitation activity requirement.

Joyner was jailed for eight years and eight months for possession with intent to supply a class A drug, two counts of being concerned in the supply of a class A drug and acquiring criminal property.

O’Shea was sentenced to three years in prison for possession with intent to supply a class A drug and being concerned with the supply of a class A drug.

Detective Chief Inspector Ben Lavender at Avon and Somerset Police said: "Evidence was found to show their operation was worth hundreds of thousands of pounds as they sought to profit from other people’s misery brought on by drug use.

"We welcome these prison sentences and will continue to robustly target those involved in drug supply to protect the public and keep our communities safe," he added.