TWO drug couriers shipping nearly 10,000 Xanax tablets with a potential street value of £50,000 through Gwent were caught after being spotted by an eagle-eyed off-duty police officer.

Nicholas Singleton and Christopher Peach had recently picked up the anti-anxiety controlled class C drugs from Liverpool when they noticed acting “suspiciously” in rural Monmouthshire.

The off-duty officer contacted colleagues who found the pair on a country track “in the middle of nowhere” outside the village of St Arvans, near Chepstow.

Steven Donoghue told Cardiff Crown Court: “Police challenged the two defendants and they found a rucksack inside their van which had 9,900 Xanax tablets.

MORE NEWS

“They also found on their phones the two posing with the tablets, effectively showing off.”

The homes of both defendants, who are from Norfolk, were later raided and police discovered a “rock of ecstasy” where aeronautical engineer Singleton lived.

Mr Donoghue said the MDMA had a potential street value of more than £13,000.

The prosecutor said the Xanax  had been destined to be delivered to Newbury in Berkshire.

He added it was a “mystery” why the duo had made a detour to the Monmouthshire countryside.

Singleton, a 35-year-old son of a retired RAF wing commander, now of Cardiff Prison, and Peach, 33, of Flordon Road, Newton Flotman, Norwich, admitted their guilt.

Singleton pleaded guilty to possessing a class A and C drugs with intent to supply and Peach admitted possessing a class C drug with intent to supply.

The offences were committed on April 18.

Ed Mitchard represented both defendants.

Mitigating for Singleton, he said that he had, until recently, been an aeronautical engineer on a salary of £30-40k working for an airline in Basel, Switzerland.

He told how his client had been made redundant and was short of cash.

Mr Mitchard added: “He made a foolish decision to act as a courier, roping in his friend.

“The MDMA was given to him so that he could generate some money.”

The court heard how Singleton’s former wing commander father had written a letter to the judge in support of his son.

Acting for Peach, Mr Mitchard said he was now living with his parents and had caring responsibilities for them.

Judge Richard Twomlow jailed Singleton for two years and four months.

Peach was made the subject of a 12-month community order and told he must carry out 120 hours of unpaid work.

Both defendants must pay a victim surcharge.