Two drug dealers have been jailed after police stopped a car in Wokingham and discovered dozens of wraps of class A drugs and thousands of pounds in cash.
Claire Caesar, 48, of Basingstoke Road in Reading, and Antonio Ferdinand, 26, of no fixed abode, were sentenced at Reading Crown Court on 26 February following an investigation by Thames Valley Police.
Caesar was jailed for two years and seven months, while Ferdinand was sentenced to three years and seven months in prison.
Caesar admitted two counts of possession with intent to supply heroin, one count relating to crack cocaine and one relating to cocaine. Ferdinand admitted possession with intent to supply heroin and crack cocaine.
The case began at about 14:40 GMT on 3 February 2025 when officers stopped a blue Suzuki S-Cross on Bearwood Road in Wokingham and detained Caesar for a drugs search.
Officers discovered a wrap of suspected class A drugs hidden in the coin section of her purse and a further 10 wraps in the notes compartment alongside £905 in cash. A search of the car uncovered another £1,000 hidden in a sunglasses holder above the rear-view mirror, while white powder found in the boot later tested positive for cocaine.
Police also searched Caesar’s home, where they found drug-related paraphernalia including empty deal bags and weighing scales.
During interview, Caesar denied the offences and claimed the drugs were not hers, telling officers she had been travelling to a spa and planned to stop at the post office to deposit money she had saved for her daughter and rent.
The drugs recovered during that stop had an estimated street value of about £600.
Several months later, officers encountered Caesar again. On 5 August 2025 police spotted the same blue Suzuki on Great Knolly’s Street in Reading with Caesar driving and Ferdinand in the passenger seat.
Officers stopped the vehicle on Bedford Road and attempted to carry out another search under the Misuse of Drugs Act. Police said Caesar resisted officers and was arrested after she was seen discarding a package of crack cocaine.
A search of the vehicle uncovered two mobile phones, £219 in cash and a bundle of about 50 wraps of suspected drugs near the rear wheel. Ferdinand was found carrying three phones, and officers discovered another bundle of about 50 wraps of class A drugs beside the passenger seat.
The drugs recovered during that stop were valued at around £700.
Both were arrested and charged the following day. Police said Caesar had already been under investigation following the earlier February incident.
Investigating officer PC Ross Hutcheson, from the Reading Proactive Team, said officers would continue to pursue drug suppliers in the town.
“Our team will proactively target and prosecute offenders like Caesar and Ferdinand, and our activity will be both visible and covert aimed at disrupting and pursuing offenders involved in the supply of drugs,” he said.
He added that information from the public about drug supply in Reading played an important role in helping police develop intelligence and investigations.
