A botched attempt to flush drugs landed three dealers in hot water.

Police raided a property in Valley Drive, Gravesend, last July after growing suspicious.

Officers on patrol had watched Zavion Benson drop a draw string bag off at the house. He was stopped in Clarence Place and a large amount of cannabis and two phones were seized.

Later Moyinoluwa Oluleye knocked on the door of the property but left after getting no answer. Two phones and £500 were found on him.

When officers forced entry to the house they found 99 wraps of crack cocaine in the toilet bowl after Holly Blayney-Ellinor, who was in a nearby bedroom, had failed to flush them away.

A search of her room found 678 grams of cannabis and digital scales. She was subsequently arrested on suspicion of supplying drugs.

The mobile phones seized were examined and revealed Oluleye, 23, of Meadow Road, and Benson, 18, of Poplar Avenue, had been in regular contact with each other in the 36 hours leading up to their arrests, with numerous references to drug supply made in a series of text messages.

Benson had also been in regular contact with Blayney-Ellinor, 21, of Valley Drive.

His bag which contained cannabis worth £7,500 was found underneath her bed.

Oluleye pleaded not guilty to possessing crack cocaine and cannabis with intent to supply. He was found guilty of both offences and sentenced to five-and-a-half years.

Blayney-Ellinor pleaded guilty to possessing crack cocaine and cannabis with intent to supply. She was sentenced to 20 months.

Benson pleaded guilty to possessing crack cocaine and cannabis with intent to supply. He was sentenced to one year.

Detective Constable Mark Donovan said: "This case was brought about by officers on patrol using their knowledge of the local area to identify criminal activity.

"Their vigilance has helped secure the convictions of these offenders and also removed a significant amount of drugs from the streets of Gravesend.

"I am pleased that we have now been able to secure custodial sentences, which will prevent them causing further harm to communities in the town."