An “entrepreneurial” cannabis dealer who sold by the kilogramme boosted his profits by packing designer strains of the drug into tin cans.

Swindon Crown Court heard the technique could inflate the price paid for an eighth of an ounce from £30 to £40-£50.

And when police raided Jacob Hunt’s family home in Woodland View, Wroughton, in December 2018 they found two boxes of ring-pull tin cans together with almost £3,000 cash and almost 100g of cannabis.

The 31-year-old was said to have been living in London in early 2018 and running a packaging business with his then partner. He sold ring pull tins, which were bought by cannabis dealers as they could increase their profits. He became aware the technique could add £20 to the price of an eighth of an ounce of the drug. Judge Peter Crabtree said at Hunt’s sentencing hearing yesterday: “You told the jury as an entrepreneur you saw a sales opportunity.”

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Hunt supplied large quantities of cannabis to buyers in Swindon, Cornwall, London and the midlands. One deal, to a buyer in Cornwall, saw him sell 2kg of cannabis for £11,500 – with the same buyer asking him just days later to supply further quantities.

Over 10 weeks between October 2018 and January 2019, he was estimated to have supplied at least 10-12kg of cannabis. They included “designer” strains of the drug like brand name Star Dawg, as well as less desirable strains like Birch Weed.

Hunt had been charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine – with prosecutors claiming he was part of an enterprise that stretched from Swindon to Bristol. He was cleared of the allegation by jurors at Swindon Crown Court last month, but had earlier pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply cannabis.

During his trial, jurors heard he had bought cannabis from a number of suppliers including long-time friend Jack Young, who awaits sentence for his part in the cocaine conspiracy.

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Swindon Crown Court

He was able to command prices of between £5,600 and £5,900 per kilo for designer strains of cannabis, while less popular strains were sold for £3,600 per kilo.

Hunt admitted selling in different quantities and forms of the drug to individuals as well as other dealers. He was contacted by then 16-year-old Swindon dealer Arnie Stead, an acolyte of Jack Young and another member of the conspiracy, who messaged him: “Can you do a whole one for 1250 bro?” The “whole one” referred to a “nine bar” – or nine ounces – of cannabis. While the price quoted by Stead was lower, Hunt made the sale as he knew a supplier keen to sell a low quality batch of “Thai weed”.

His involved in the supply of drugs ended when police arrested Hunt, Young and another at the Great Western Way McDonald’s on December 12, 2018 and raided his family home in Wroughton.

Detectives, who had been tailing Young and his associates for weeks, found cash, cannabis and tins in Hunt’s garage and bedroom. Designer clothing worth £30,000 and a Rolex watch worn by Hunt when he was arrested had been purchased legitimately by family members.

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Mitigating, Tom Edwards said Hunt had been a heavy cannabis user when he was dealing the drug, but had since kicked the habit. He was in a relatively new relationship, lived away from Swindon and had a nine-month-old daughter. He was a carer for a man with cerebral palsy.

“What you have in Mr Hunt is a good egg, someone who’s worked for almost the entirety of his adult life,” Mr Edwards told the judge.

He added his client was “someone who would repay any opportunity your honour would give him and is highly unlikely to find himself back before the courts.”

Hunt, of Augustus Avenue, Keynsham, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply a class B drug.

Judge Crabtree imposed 22 months’ imprisonment suspended for two years, ordering that Hunt complete 200 hours of unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

Noting Hunt’s remorse, change of circumstances and the delay in the case, the judge said: “This is a fact specific sentence in unusual circumstances; nothing should be read into it.”

The defendant was told by the judge: “Anyone who’s involved in the supply of any drug – that includes cannabis – is involved in criminality which wrecks lives and undermines the fabric of society. That is why any drug dealing is regarded seriously and almost always passes the custody threshold; certainly in this case it does that.”