Two drug dealers caught with more than £100,000 worth of cocaine in their possession have been jailed for a total of more than 11 years.

Tunbridge Wells associates Jamie Kingsland and Richard Wolvey were pulled over by police in Liptraps Lane in October 2013.

Officers had earlier witnessed 31-year-old Wolvey, of Ferndale, collect a brown package from another vehicle close to his home address, which he then placed in his rucksack before getting into a van driven by Kingsland.

During a search of the van the officers discovered the package hidden in a compartment above the driver’s cab, and also seized a quantity of cash.

Both Wolvey and Kingsland, were arrested at the scene on suspicion of possessing a controlled drug with intent to supply.

The suspect package was sent for analysis and found to contain about 1kg of cocaine of high purity and with a potential street value of more than £100,000.

Searches were also carried out at the home addresses of both men, with several grams of cocaine discovered in a jacket pocket at Kingsland’s property in Nelson Road.

The 36-year-old was charged with possessing cocaine with intent to supply the day after his arrest, while Wolvey was bailed pending further enquiries and charged with the same offence in December 2013.

Kingsland denied the offence but was convicted by a 11-1 majority following a trial at Maidstone Crown Court on Friday.

He was sentenced to five years and two months’ imprisonment.

Wolvey pleaded guilty shortly before the trial was due to start and was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment.

Detective Ch Insp, Neil Parker, of Kent Police said: "This is a fantastic result in our continued efforts to rid Tunbridge Wells of the drug dealers who bring nothing but misery to people’s lives for their own financial benefit.

"It was good old fashioned police work that led to the arrests of Kingsland and Wolvey, and they are to be commended for using their initiative when they suspected criminal activity was taking place.

"I would also like to pay tribute to Detective Constable Rory Niblock and his colleagues who investigated this lengthy and complex case and ultimately ensured justice was served.

"Kent Police takes a zero tolerance approach to drug-dealing and the sentencing of these two men is a significant blow to the drug supply network in Tunbridge Wells."