A drug dealer and a thug have been locked up as part of an ongoing police operation to target organised crime in North Kent.

Jerimiah Wellington, 23, and Kane Trayling, 24, were arrested after carrying out two separate offences which were being investigated by the officers from the Operation Jupiter team.

The initiative sees officers use certain strategies to tackle organised crime and criminal gangs travelling in to the county, particularly in Medway, Swale, Gravesham and Dartford.

Wellington, was jailed for three years for possessing class A drugs with intent to supply and on Trayling was jailed for two years for possessing an offensive weapon, at Maidstone Crown Court.

Wellington, formerly of Banfield Road in Peckham, pleaded guilty to supplying heroin and crack cocaine after being arrested in Scottswood Avenue, Chatham, in January.

The court heard how officers on patrol approached him after becoming suspicious of his behaviour and a roadside search was carried out.

The search uncovered £320 along with the keys for a BMW and a mobile phone.

The defendant was arrested and taken into custody where a strip search was organised.

After several hours in cells, Wellington eventually produced a bundle from between his buttocks.

This was found to contain 21 wraps of heroin and 41 wraps of crack cocaine.

Later that same day a search was carried out at a property in Quarry Square, Maidstone.

Wellington was known to be a regular visitor to address and 75 grams of what is believed to be heroin and crack cocaine were found.

Alongside the drugs, more than £700 in cash, two sets of scales and other paraphernalia needed to package class A drugs, were uncovered.

A 22-year-old woman and an 18-year-old man, both from Maidstone, were arrested at the property on suspicion of possessing class A drugs with intent to supply.

They have both been bailed until Thursday April 8, while investigations into their involvement continue.

As well as his prison sentence Wellington forced to hand over a total of £1,051 in cash and an order was made for the class A drugs to be destroyed.

Trayling, of no fixed address, was jailed following a disturbance in Ranelagh Road, Sheerness in November, last year.

Police were called to reports Trayling, and two other men, were trying to force open the door of a property in that street and he was seen holding a long knife.

He was later arrested on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon and pleaded guilty to the charge when he appeared in court.

Chief Supt Adrian Futers said: “These two sentencings are the latest results to come from Operation Jupiter, which is a strategy we will continue to use to bring criminals to justice.

“Many of these criminals are members of gangs which often travel into the county from other areas and we are taking robust action to prevent this.

“We will continue to target those involved in the sale of illegal drugs and other serious offences.”