Two drug dealers – Richard Andrew Stokes, 39, of Railton Road, Guildford, and Charles Courtney Gold, 40 of Henley, Sussex – have been sentenced to a combined total of 19 and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to drug dealing offences in Surrey.

Their trial was held at Guildford Crown Court on Thursday, October 14.

Custody photos of convicted drug dealers, Richard Stokes (left) and his “right-hand man” Charles Gold.

Surrey Police said Stokes was first arrested in October 2019 in Barnes, London, for driving erratically. £130,000 cash were found in the boot of his vehicle. Searches of a linked address of a luxury flat in Fulham located almost £40,000 more in cash, three Rolex watches, designer trainers and several cheap mobile phones.

A police spokesperson said: “Gold was identified as being a right-hand man of Stokes. An address in Sussex was searched on May 4 last year. Items recovered included two phones, one identified as an Encrophone. There were also specific sim cards found, known to be used by Encrochat users [a communication network said to be used by organised crime].

“Also found were supermarket shopping bags containing over quarter of a million pounds in cash.

£250,000 cash in supermarket shopping bags was seized in a raid of an address in Sussex.

“A lock-up Gold had been using was searched and officers recovered three sweet tins containing 439.98 grams of cocaine. Gold was arrested on suspicion of being concerned with the supply of Class A drugs and released under investigation.

“A warrant [search] was carried out of Stoke’s home address in Railton Road, Guildford on April 12. Further high-value items were seized, and he was arrested for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs as well as possession of criminal property.”

Stokes had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs as well as two counts of possession of criminal property and was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Gold pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and one count of possession of criminal property. He was sentenced to a total of seven years and 6 months.

Detective Constable Harry Robberts said: “Stokes was living an extremely lavish and luxury lifestyle off the back of his criminal exploits. He spent tens of thousands [of pounds] on luxury watches, trainers, trips to Dubai and Ibiza as well as shopping sprees in Harrods and Christian Dior.

“Both men thought that their use of Encrochat would mean they would go undetected due to the levels of encryption that the service offered.”