Laughing gas motorist pleads to eat chips after McDonald’s drive-through arrest

A driver begged to ‘chomp’ on his McDonald’s chips as he was arrested on multiple drug-related charges.

Imtiaz Ali, 46, was arrested in Newport, Wales, with seven boxes of nitrous oxide canisters, unopened balloons, and a hammer inside his car.

However, when police approached him on November 2, he was reportedly more concerned with finishing his dinner.

‘I want to eat it bro,’ he complained to the officers, as seen in a video released by Gwent Police.

‘You’re not going to be chomping on chips while I’m searching you,’ the officer replied.

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Gwent Police’s Community Action Team also searched Ali outside of his car at Newport Retail Park, seizing a large amount of cash and a mobile phone.

Body-worn footage shows the moment Imtiaz Ali is intercepted by officers at a McDonald's drive-through. // A motorist with laughing gas and a hammer in his car was filmed arrested in a McDonald's drive-through. Imtiaz Ali, 46, was in his car when he was arrested in Newport with seven boxes of nitrous oxide cannisters, unopened balloons, and a hammer inside his car. Gwent Police's Community Action Team also searched Ali outside of his vehicle at Newport Retail Park. They seized a large amount of cash and a mobile phone on 2 November. Release date: November 9 2026 Photo released 09/11/2026
Pictured here is Imtiaz Ali A dodgy driver was arrested at a McDonald's drive-thru with a haul of laughing gas nitrous oxide in his car. Imtiaz Ali, 46, was found with the illegal gas cannisters and unopened balloons at the fast-food restaurant. Police said there was also a large amount of cash, mobile phone and hammer in his car and cannabis and more phones at his home. Ali was stopped at the restaurant at Newport Retail Park, Lliswerry, at around 9.50pm on Monday 2 November. He pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply nitrous oxide, possession of an offensive weapon and possession of cannabis. Ali, of Newport, was sentenced to six months imprisonment at Newport Magistrates??? Court. PC Sam Hall, from Gwent Police???s Community Action Team, said: ???We spotted this defendant driving erratically and took the decision to stop his car while he was a customer parked in the drive-through area of McDonald???s. ???We recovered a hammer close to the driver???s seat and 42 large and unopened nitrous oxide cannisters, also known as NOS or laughing gas, from the boot of the car. ???Nitrous oxide, also called NOS, is a colourless gas used in medicine, dentistry and the catering industry, and was made a class C drug in November 2023. ???The evidence of Ali???s illegal dealing of nitrous oxide was overwhelming; he had little option but to plead guilty to the charges he faced in court.??? ???Ali was out on licence at this time of these offences and was profiting from the sale and supply of illegal drugs that cause fear, suffering and pain to vulnerable people and their families.??? WALES NEWS SERVICE

After searching his address, they also recovered cannabis and three more mobile phones.

But Ali, of Ebenezer Terrace, Newport, appeared at Newport Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 4 November when he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply nitrous oxide for wrongful inhalation – a class C drug.

He also pleaded guilty to possession of an offensive weapon in a public place, and possession of a controlled drug of class B – cannabis.

Ali was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment.

PC Sam Hall, from Gwent Police’s Community Action Team, said: ‘We spotted this defendant driving erratically and took the decision to stop his car while he was a customer parked in the drive-through area of McDonald’s.

‘We recovered a hammer close to the driver’s seat and 42 large and unopened nitrous oxide cannisters, also known as NOS or laughing gas, from the boot of the car.

‘Nitrous oxide, also called NOS, is a colourless gas used in medicine, dentistry and the catering industry, and was made a class C drug in November 2023.

‘The evidence of Ali’s illegal dealing of nitrous oxide was overwhelming; he had little option but to plead guilty to the charges he faced in court.

‘Ali was out on licence at this time of these offences and was profiting from the sale and supply of illegal drugs that cause fear, suffering and pain to vulnerable people and their families.’

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Original source Laughing gas motorist pleads to eat chips after McDonald’s drive-through arrest

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