Newport man jailed after police find 42 laughing gas canisters in car

Nation.Cymru staff

A man has been jailed for six months after police found 42 nitrous oxide canisters and a hammer in his car at a McDonald’s drive-through in Newport.

Imtiaz Ali, 46, was stopped at Newport Retail Park in Lliswerry at about 9.50pm on Monday, 2 November, after officers from Gwent Police’s Community Action Team spotted him driving erratically.

Police found seven boxes of nitrous oxide canisters and unopened balloons in the car, with a hammer close to the driver’s seat. Officers also seized a large amount of cash and a mobile phone. A subsequent search of Ali’s home uncovered cannabis and three more phones.

Ali, of Ebenezer Terrace, Newport, appeared at Newport Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, 4 November. He pleaded guilty to possessing nitrous oxide with intent to supply it for wrongful inhalation, possessing an offensive weapon in a public place and possessing cannabis.

He was sentenced to 26 weeks in prison. Gwent Police said he was on licence at the time of the offences.

PC Sam Hall, of the Community Action Team, said: “We spotted this defendant driving erratically and took the decision to stop his car while he was a customer parked in the drive-through area of McDonald’s.”

He said the 42 canisters were large and unopened and were found in the boot.

Nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, has legitimate uses in medicine, dentistry and catering. It was made a Class C drug in November 2023.