A UK drill rapper has been jailed for three years and 11 months for selling 45 kilos of cannabis after helping import the drug from the US.
Digga D was arrested after police launched a raid on his property in Bracebridge Heath near Lincoln in the early hours of February 21 last year - while he was broadcasting live on Instagram.
The rapper, whose real name is Rhys Herbert, pleaded guilty last May to importing 3.6 kilos of cannabis in June and July 2023 and a further charge of supplying cannabis.
However, during a trial of the issue, known as a Newton Hearing, at Lincoln Crown Court, the 24-year-old denied being involved in commercial transactions of up to 60kg of cannabis.
Judge Simon Hirst decided on the level of Herbert's drug dealing after hearing two days of evidence, because the prosecution did not accept the basis of his pleas.
Passing sentence on Friday, Judge Hirst said he was satisfied Herbert had played a significant role in selling cannabis for a commercial profit.
Judge Hirst said: ‘I am satisfied so that I am sure first, Mr Herbert was involved in supply of cannabis over a period of at least 7 months from about January 2023 to July 2023.
‘Second, the amount of cannabis which came into the possession of Mr Herbert was at least 50.65 kilograms.’
Digga D, pictured, was jailed for three years and 11 months for selling 45 kilos of cannabis after helping import the drug from the US
The rapper, pictured, whose real name is Rhys Herbert, pleaded guilty last May to importing 3.6 kilos of cannabis in June and July 2023 and a further charge of supplying cannabis
Digga D was arrested after police launched a raid on his property in Bracebridge Heath near Lincoln in the early hours of February 21 last year - while he was broadcasting live on Instagram
‘Third, with some reservations I am prepared to accept that Mr Herbert was himself using 28 grams per week over 5 months and that some drugs were shared with others.
‘Even, considering that there were friends in Lincoln with him at some times, music engineers when in the studio and a management team, it is difficult to see how more than 5 kilograms could be consumed by those people, I am satisfied so that I am sure that at least 45 kilograms was sold on.
‘Fourth, the cannabis, which was sold on, was for a commercial profit.’
The court heard Herbert had six previous convictions for 13 offences, including possessing an offensive weapon and violent disorder for which he was sentenced to 30 months youth detention in March 2020.
James Scobie KC, mitigating for Herbert, argued there had been a determined effort to besmirch his client during the investigation and said none of his previous convictions were relevant.
‘All the matters were when he was a teenager at the time, he was 18 at the time of the last offence,’ Mr Scobie told the court.
‘This is very much a first offence in terms of drugs supply.
‘He is clearly in a unique position to obtain these drugs without being in a chain for many years, and you honour knows those reasons.
Digga can be heard shouting: 'What do you lot want, I'm here! I am here! Stop! What are you lot doing?'
‘Your honour found he was involved in supply for seven months, clearly that was intermittent, there were periods when he was out of the country.’
The court was also handed letters from Mr Herbert's mother and aunt which expressed his remorse and detailed his reading of the bible while every day in jail.
Mr Scobie said Herbert was an only child and urged: ‘He isn't a danger to the public, he is someone who contributes to the public.’
Herbert, who has spent the last ten months on remand at HMP Wormwood Scrubs, followed the sentence hearing via a videolink from the jail.
During the Newton Hearing, which was heard in December, Herbert said he began smoking cannabis from the age of 12 and used the drug throughout his teenage years to "help with his frequent migraines".
Herbert claimed it was ‘a benefit’ to buy his cannabis in bulk as he could afford it and it proved cheaper.
The musician said buying in bulk also reduced the chance of him coming to the attention of the police as he was often stopped both in London and elsewhere in the country.
He said he also obtained bags of cannabis to use in the video for his hit song I'm From.
British rapper Digga D performing one of his songs on stage
Mr Scobie stressed the artist had earnings in excess of £3m at the time of the drug dealing activity.
The court heard two sets of weighing scales and a cannabis grinder were recovered from Herbert's London home on Lonsdale Road in Notting Hill, where he lived with his mother.
Mobile phone footage of the star handling a bag of cannabis and allegedly complaining about the poor quality was also played to the judge.
A number of photographs also showed Herbert handling large amounts of cash, the court was told.
Mr Scobie explained that Herbert was an internationally recognised musician with a legitimate income and made videos which demonstrated large amounts of money.
