A drug dealer who was caught with party bags containing canisters of laughing gas has become the first person to be jailed for possession of the class C drug since it was outlawed.

Thomas Salton, 30, from Brentwood in Essex was found with about 60 small canisters of nitrous oxide known as ‘laughing gas’, 48 one-gram bags of ketamine, and £39,000 in cash when police pulled his Range Rover over on 1 December 2023.

A further 408 nitrous oxide canisters and 965 grams of ketamine were later found at a property Salton was renting 10 miles from his home.

Salton will spend 35 months in prison.

He pleaded guilty to drug possession with intent to supply at a hearing last month and was sentenced today at Basildon Crown Court.

The ban on nitrous oxide came into force in November as part of a campaign to tackle anti-social behaviour.

Nitrous oxide, also nicknamed “hippy crack”, is now a class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

Alex Hinds, a prosecutor for CPS East of England, said: “The evidence against Thomas Salton was overwhelming and this case is an example of all parts of the justice system working together to get drugs and those who sell them off the streets.

“The change in the law coupled with the actions of the police has allowed the CPS to present the strongest case in court and put Thomas Salton out of business and into prison.

“Nitrous oxide is a dangerous drug and hopefully this first conviction will deter those thinking of buying or selling it.”

Read more:
Doctors warn about dangers of nitrous oxide
Nitrous oxide: What you need to know

The CPS said the ketamine was divided into bags marked with a “K” and put inside the Christmas party bags along with two canisters of nitrous oxide.

At the sentencing, the CPS said it would begin legal proceedings to recover any money Salton had obtained from his crime.