The BBCUK rapper Dega Dee has told a court he has been using cannabis to help with his frequent migraines since he was 12.
The Drill star, whose real name is Rhys Herbert, admitted to importing 3kg (6.6lbs) of the Class B drug after being arrested near Lincoln in the early hours of February 21 during an Instagram Live broadcast.
He pleaded guilty in May to trafficking cannabis relating to July 11, 2023 and supplying cannabis between October 26, 2022 and February 21, 2024.
However, during the hearing at Lincoln Crown Court, known as the Newton Hearing, the 24-year-old denied importing up to 60kg (132lbs) of cannabis for commercial sale.
The two-day hearing took place before Judge Simon Hirst, who will decide the level of Herbert’s drug dealing after prosecutors refused to accept the basis of his pleas.
Giving evidence via video link from HMP Wormwood Scrubs, where he is currently on remand, the rapper said he started using cannabis at the age of 12 and used the drug during his teenage years to “treat his recurring pain”. What to do to help Shiqiqa.
The court heard that it was “an advantage” for Herbert to buy his cannabis in bulk because he could afford it and it turned out to be cheaper.
His defense barrister, James Scobie QC, previously told the court that the artist’s earnings at the time of the alleged large-scale drug dealing activity were in excess of £3m.
On Tuesday, prosecutors suggested a message on Herbert’s phone that referred to “40 in the air” was in connection with the importation of about 18 kilograms (635oz) of cannabis.
Herbert told the court it was a “fictitious conversation” and said he was not aware of 18kg coming into the country at the time.
He said he also obtained bags of cannabis to use in the video for his hit song I’m From.
The musician said that bulk purchases also reduced his chances of coming to the attention of the police as he was frequently stopped in London and elsewhere in the country.
The trial was previously told that the 24-year-old was a heavy user of cannabis and had supplied it socially to others in the music industry, including his entourage.
He was also supplying three people living with him at his address in Bracebridge Heath, near Lincoln.
However, the prosecution claims that he was involved in commercial transactions of up to 60 kg.
Mr Scobie said the artist was selling around 5kg (11lbs) of the class B drug on a “sporadic” commercial basis – making a small profit of £300-£400 on each deal.
Two sets of weighing scales and a cannabis grinder were found at Herbert’s London home on Lonsdale Road in Notting Hill, where he lived with his mother, the court heard.
Mobile phone footage of the star handling a bag of cannabis and allegedly of poor quality was complained to the judge.
Prosecutors claimed several photos also showed Herbert handling large amounts of cash.
Mr Scobie said Herbert was an internationally recognized musician who had a legitimate income and had made videos that featured large sums of cash.
The hearing was adjourned until January 31 when the judge will deliver his verdict and sentence.