Drugs 'foot soldier' jailed for nine years

A LITHUANIAN caught supplying £40,000-worth of cocaine to a man in a Rotherham lay-by has been jailed for nine years.

Luton Crown Court heard that the deal had taken place in a Brecks Lane, Rotherham, and when police raided a house in Essex where Jonas Kazlauskas was living, they found drugs and £146,000 in cash.

Defence barrister Mr Kevin Molloy had argued that Kazlauskas was only involved as a 'foot soldier' because he was under duress following threats to his family in Lithuania, and was not rewarded with big sums of money.

But Judge Andrew Bright QC told the 42 year old father-of-two: “I am satisfied you were towards the top end of the supply chain and you had the expectation of a large financial gain.”

Kazlauskas, who was staying at his wife's home in Grays pleaded guilty to two charges of conspiracy to supply cocaine and one of possessing cash as criminal property.

Mr Daniel Siong, prosecuting at Luton Crown Court said the defendant was involved in supplying drugs as part of a larger conspiracy which led to the ring leader — Paul Lowe (41), of Arundel Gardens, Barnsley — being jailed for 14 years at Sheffield Crown Court in August this year.

Kazlauskas had been put under surveillance as a result of his connections to that case.

Mr Molloy, defending, said: “He was working for a flash individual who was running the show in South Yorkshire."