Two dealers who drove into heavy traffic while trying to outmanoeuvre a patrol car have been locked up.

Zamir Akram and Waqar Nadeem were found with 60 wraps of heroin and crack cocaine when they were stopped in Chatham in November 2017.

The pair denied being drug dealers but were found guilty of concerned in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine following a trial at Maidstone Crown Court in December.

They were sentenced earlier today and were jailed for a combined total of 12 years.

The court heard how on Monday, November 20 someone tipped-off police to say the occupants of a silver van in St Michael’s Close were supplying drugs to people.

Officers attended the area and found Akram and Nadeem inside the vehicle and both searched under the Misuse of Drugs Act however on this occasion no drugs were found in their possession.

Nine days later concerns around the same van were reported to the force, this time in the Old Road area.

Officers found the vehicle and pulled in front of it to prevent it getting away.

The pair then attempted to manoeuvre around the police car but were unable to travel far due to heavy traffic.

As they were trying to escape, a package was thrown out of the driver’s window and Akram was seen in the passenger seat frantically pressing buttons on a mobile phone.

Both were arrested and officers established the phone seized from Akram contained numerous messages relating to drug supply and the discarded package contained 37 wraps of crack cocaine and 23 wraps of heroin.

The street value of the items seized is between £600 and £1,200.

Akram, 21 and of Kent Street in Plaistow, was jailed for five years and Nadeem, 26, of Louise Road in Stratford, was also locked up for five years.

In addition to this sentencing, Akram was sentenced to an additional two years for other drug offences committed in St Albans, which will be served consecutively.

DC, Terry Hanlon, the investigating officer for this case, said: "These two offenders both came to Medway from London with the sole intention of supplying heroin and crack cocaine.

"They were twice spotted by members of the public who were suspicious of their behaviour and were found with a significant quantity of class A substances on them.

"Despite the obvious evidence against them, they denied they had any involvement in supplying the drugs and were rightly found guilty by a jury.

"There is no place for drug dealing in Medway and this case shows Kent Police and the courts will do everything in their power to bring offenders to justice."