TWO men found guilty of supplying class A drugs have been jailed by a judge at Maidstone Crown Court.

They were Jack Lee, 37, a builder from Quinton Road, Sittingbourne, and Alexander Russell, 25, unemployed, formerly of Meads Avenue, Sittingbourne.

The pair were arrested in the Shipwrights Avenue, Chatham, on December 9 2005 after police officers searched a grey Ford Mondeo stopped in the road. The car had been driven by Lee and Russell was a passenger.

Officers seized £180 in the search and the men were arrested on suspicion of supplying drugs.

They were searched and officers found 30 heroin wraps and 11 wraps of cocaine. Both men were later charged with possession of heroin and cocaine with intent to supply.

The jury also took into account the arrest of Lee in Chatham High Street, in November 2005 after he was stopped by police and arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply crack cocaine, he was later charged with the offence.

Jack Lee was sentenced to six-and-a-half-years and Alexander Russell to three-and-a-half. Since his arrest on December 9 Russell has been remanded in custody.

Det Con Karl Brett, who headed the investigation, said: "Jack Lee was never found with drugs in his possession and was using others to hold the drugs in a calculated attempt to evade justice.

"By working in partnership with CCTV, forensic science laboratories and specialist units within Kent Police in Medway, we were able to gather enough evidence to prove to the jury that Lee was a main player in the drugs supply network.

"I am confident that these significant custodial sentences will not only deter others from adopting this tactic but also emphasises our dedication to work with the Crown Prosecution Service to offer tangible evidence at court."