Essex Police on first person jailed for possession of nitrous oxide

Patrolling Essex Police officers caught the dealer red-handed during a traffic stop in Basildon in the midst of his plan to supply a Christmas party with ketamine and nitrous oxide.

Thomas Salton was "notably nervous and agitated" while interacting with officers after his Range Rover was pulled over on Friday, December 1.

Thomas Salton has been jailed today (Image: Crown Prosecution Service)

In the boot, the officers found party bags containing items such as Christmas crackers and sweets.

Alongside these more innocent items were grip-sealed bags of ketamine, together with cannisters of nitrous oxide - widely known as laughing gas - with balloons.

Officers also seized a sum of cash – found to be more than £38,000.

Among the items found was a "naughty and nice" list, denoting the customers at the party who had elected to have illicit drugs in their party bags, and a non-disclosure agreement with Salton’s name at the top.

Inside the party bags found by police (Image: Essex Police)

The bags contained candy canes alongside ketamine, balloons and laughing gas cannisters (Image: Essex Police)

Following the 30-year-old's arrest, police executed warrants at his home address in Hunters Court, Brentwood, and two storage units linked to Salton in the Vange area.

At the units, officers uncovered a vacuum-sealed bag of psilocybin mushrooms, further bags of ketamine and 17 boxes of cannisters – totalling 408 nitrous oxide cannisters.

Salton appeared at Southend Crown Court on Monday January 8, where he admitted possession with intent to supply a Class B and Class C drug.

Some of the cash seized by police (Image: Essex Police)

He also admitted possession of a Class A drug, on the basis the mushrooms found were for personal consumption, and possession of criminal property.

At the same court today, he was jailed for 35 months.

Detective Sergeant Stephen Robson, of Essex Police's Serious and Organised Crime Unit, said: “Our investigation placed Salton in the midst of large-scale supply to customers within the party scene in Essex.

“He was found to be holding large quantities of Class B and Class C drugs separated for supply purposes.

The naughty and nice list uncovered by police (Image: Essex Police)

“Our later enquiries at his business lockup demonstrated the preparation behind this operation, with large quantities of illicit drugs stored for later packaging and supply in smaller quantities.

“This was clearly an organised operation, with Salton even going to the lengths of drafting a non-disclosure agreement for his customers to sign.

The non-disclosure agreement discovered (Image: Essex Police)

“This level of detail and organisation provided us with exactly the evidence we needed to prove his role in an illicit drug supply operation.

“It is perhaps easy for people to think that consuming these drugs at a party is harmless.

“In reality it is this market which lies behind the serious violence and exploitation of vulnerable people which goes hand-in-hand with illegal drug supply.”

Boxes of nitrous oxide cannisters seized by police (Image: Essex Police)

In November 2023, nitrous oxide was classified as a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

Under the legislation, users could face up to two years in prison for possession, while those convicted of supply could face up to 14 years.

Salton’s conviction for possessing nitrous oxide – commonly known as laughing gas – with intent to supply, is thought to be the first since the passing of the new law.

How police found the boot (Image: Essex Police)

Crime and Policing Minister Chris Philp said: “For too long the use of this drug in public spaces has contributed to anti-social behaviour which is a blight on communities, while also being dangerous to the health of users.

“That’s why we changed the law to give the police the powers they need to take a zero-tolerance approach to this crime.

“This conviction and sentencing sends a clear signal to anyone considering dealing in nitrous oxide, or found in illegal possession of it, that this crime will not be tolerated.”