Two young men caught with a handgun and a machete while transporting large amounts of cocaine, MDMA, ketamine and cannabis through Bristol have been jailed. Sepehr Yousefali and David Meti, both 22, were stopped by police officers in Bond Street on October 2, 2024, while in a black BMW suspected of using a cloned number plate. Officers got more than they bargained for when they stopped the vehicle.
As police approached the car, Yousefali, who was in the front passenger seat, informed officers that he had a loaded gun in the waistband of his trousers. Avon and Somerset Police officers found the gun, as well as a machete between the driver seat – where Meti was sitting – and car door.
Two carrier bags full of drugs, including cocaine, cannabis, MDMA and ketamine, were then found. Avon and Somerset Police said tests showed the drugs had an estimated street value of nearly £6,000. Yousefali and Meti were arrested and taken into custody.
Yousefali, of no fixed address, and Meti, from London, both pleaded guilty to all charges put to them. This included three counts of possession with intent to supply class A drugs (cocaine, MDMA and 2C-B, a hallucinogenic drug) and two counts of possession with intent to supply class B drugs (ketamine and cannabis).
Yousefali was additionally charged with and pleaded guilty to:
- Possessing a firearm of length less than 30/60cm
- Possessing a loaded/unloaded firearm and suitable ammunition in a public place
- Possessing a firearm when prohibited for fire years.
Meti was also charged and pleaded guilty to:
- Being in possession of a knife or bladed article in a public place
- Using a motor vehicle without third party insurance
Both men pleaded guilty on November 22, 2024, and were taken back into custody until they were sentenced on Tuesday, February 4 at Bristol Crown Court. Yousefali was jailed for eight years and nine months and Meti was handed a four-year prison sentence.
Senior Investigating Officer Detective Inspector Nicholas Lawson said: “It is clear from the weapons Yousefali and Meti had in their possession that they had the potential to cause serious harm. The pair were transporting a significant amount of illegal drugs, that no doubt would have ended up on the streets of Bristol had officers not wisely taken the proactive action to stop the vehicle.
“Our enquiries found they were deliberately targeting people who enjoy Bristol’s night-time economy and seeking to profit from the misery that such substances cause. We will never tire in our efforts to target those that seek to bring drugs to Avon and Somerset, and will continue to specifically target drugs lines which seek to further the plague of drugs within our communities.”