A county lines drug dealer caught with a large knife and drugs down his trousers has been jailed.

Rimel Hanchard was carrying a 25cm knife, more than 200 wraps of cocaine and heroin and £630 in cash when he was arrested in Luton Road, Chatham.

Plainclothes officers spotted the 22-year-old, who they suspected was involved in drug supply, get into a taxi on October 20.

They removed Hanchard from the vehicle and seized the sheathed knife from his waistband as well as the three packages concealed in his trousers containing the wraps and cash in his pockets.

Hanchard, formerly of Orpington, Greater London, was taken into custody and later charged with possession of cocaine with intent to supply, possession of heroin with intent to supply, possession of a knife in a public place and possessing criminal property.

He admitted all four offences when he appeared at Maidstone Crown Court yesterday (May 1) and was sentenced to two years and six months in prison. The seized cash was also forfeited.

PC Oliver Matcham, from the police’s county lines and gangs team, said: “This dealer travelled to Kent armed with a large knife and was intent on selling a significant number of class A drug deals.

“He stood to make a considerable profit whilst causing misery for the communities of Chatham.

“Bringing such a dangerous weapon onto the streets posed a considerable risk to local people until he was successfully detained by our proactive officers.

“A prison sentence was the only possible conclusion to his criminal activities.”