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A taxi driver who was found with almost 2kg of high purity cocaine when he was stopped by police has been jailed.

Mohammed Yamin, 53, of Adeline Street, Newport, was stopped by police in a covert operation on the A472 near Pontllanfraith in May last year.

He was found guilty by a jury at Cardiff Crown Court in November last year for possession with intent to supply class A drugs and was this month sentenced to six years and six months imprisonment.

His trial heard how officers had stopped Yamin as he was heading to make a delivery at an address in Lewis Avenue, Blackwood. They found £9,000 cash in his cab and a further search at his house found £18,500.

The cocaine, which had a purity of between 86% and 88%, was in a plastic bag in the passenger footwell. It is estimated to have had a street value of £200,000.

Denying the charges in last year’s trial, Yamin claimed he hadn’t known what was in the bag and that an unknown man in Blackwood had given it to him for a delivery.

Detective Constable Hackney, of Gwent Police, said Yamin had “played a significant role in the distribution of wholesale amounts of cocaine”.

They added: “We welcome the sentence imposed on Yamin and hope it acts not only as a warning against others who are tempted to engage in such criminality but reassures the community that we are committed to targeting those involved in drug supply.

“Illegal drugs have no place in our society and we encourage people to continue to report any such concerns so we can take action.”

He will be required to appear at a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing on August 9.