Donovan Mkutchwa had cocaine, cannabis and ketamine

Detectives were already investigating Donovan Tanaka Mkutchwa’s activities and he was on a suspended prison sentence for having cannabis when police stopped him in a car with two other people.

Officers searched him and found 23 bags that appeared to be drug deals. Forensic tests later revealed them to be 13 bags of cocaine, 10 bags of suspected ketamine.

Cocaine and ketamine deals (Image: North Yorkshire Police)

Officers found more bags containing cocaine and ketamine in the building where he was staying in Harrogate, and a pair of scales.

In a separate incident, they found two lots of cannabis linked to Mkutchwa that together could have been worth up to £11,035 on the streets. The total value of the cocaine and ketamine was £2,250.

Mkutchwa, 24, of Birch Grove, Harrogate, and also formerly of Keswick in the Lake District, pleaded guilty to two charges of possessing cannabis with intent to supply it to others, one of possessing cocaine with intent to supply it to others and one of possession of ketamine with intent to supply it to others.

He was jailed for four years and 10 months at York Crown Court. He was arrested as part of Operation Expedite which targets drug dealing.

Drug dealer Donovan Tanaka Mkutchwa (Image: North Yorkshire Police)

Investigating officer, PC Michael Haydock said: “Mkutchwa has been dealing illegal substances for many years and has used others to assist in his criminal activity, putting himself above them in an attempt to distance himself from street level drug dealing.

"Not only that, he has continued to offend despite being given a suspended sentence and whilst under investigation for identical offences.

“For Mkutchwa, this has now come to an end and he is one less person who spreads misery on the streets of Harrogate.

"His actions, and that of anyone else involved in supplying illegal substances, are the cause of so many other crimes which are often committed by those desperate to fund a drug habit that he facilitates.

“He now has a significant period of time to reflect on his criminal behaviour and hopefully he will see the error of his ways.”

The Operation Expedite team spotted Mkutchwa getting into a car on May 5. They stopped it on Kings Road in Harrogate. Mkutchwa was a passenger and was the only one of the three people in the car to have drugs on him. The other two were not charged.

PC Haydock and the other two officers who worked with him on the investigation into Mkutchwa won a judge’s commendation for their "utmost professionalism and integrity" and for "overcoming an array of difficulties to secure conviction" and their "outstanding investigative skills and attention to detail to ensure this case was brought to conviction".