A drug dealer has been jailed for four years after a police dog sniffed out 15 cocaine wraps.

Hassan Sheekh was stopped for a search in a Gillingham town centre car park after a patrol from the Medway Community Policing Team became suspicious of his movements, and that of his associates.

As the officers searched the group, police dog Piper sniffed out 15 wraps of crack cocaine in the back of a Ford Fiesta, next to where Sheekh had been sitting.

Sheekh, 26, of Melford Road, East Ham, London, was found guilty of possessing heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply and was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court on Tuesday, December 14.

Officers from the Medway Community Policing Team were travelling in James Street on the afternoon of April 9, 2018, when they noticed the Fiesta heading in the other direction.

The officers had previously received reports that it was linked to drug dealing and turned their patrol car with a view to pulling the suspect vehicle over.

They initially lost sight of the Ford but found it unattended in James Street car park a short time later, and after a short wait, Sheekh returned to the car with Clinton Osuji.

Immediately after they got inside, they were stopped for a search under the Misuse of Drugs Act, during which dog Piper uncovered the wraps of crack cocaine in a cling film bag next to the door where Sheekh had been sitting.

Both men were taken into custody for a further search, which uncovered a further 12 wraps of heroin and one wrap of crack cocaine in Sheekh’s possession.

A mobile phone, seized from a different associate as part of wider inquiries, also continued to ring. Officers answered it on four occasions and in three of the calls drug users requested ‘dark’ and ‘light’ substances.

An additional search of Osuji’s home address led to a further 145 wraps of crack cocaine, and 51 wraps of heroin, being seized.

The offenders were released on bail, and further analysis of the seized phone revealed the men were actively involved in supplying Class A drugs across Medway, while forensic inquiries also found traces of each man’s DNA on the seized drugs.

Detective Constable Mark Donovan, from Kent Police’s County Lines and Gangs Team, said: "Sheekh has found out the hard way that Kent is not a destination for aspiring drug dealers to operate.

"Our officers are continually receiving new information on the supply of Class A drugs and are well versed in the underhand tactics drug dealers use.

"They also have in-depth knowledge on issues impacting the communities they patrol and know how to spot even the most discreet signs of drug dealing.

"This case is yet another example of them acting quickly on information they receive and achieving positive results."

Osuji, 24, of Richmond Road, Gillingham, was jailed for 23 months, but the term was suspended for two years. He had previously admitted possessing heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply.