Cocaine dealers are starting prison sentences after police raided a rented home in a leafy Kent village.

Officers searched a rental property in Bartley Mill, Lamberhurst, in November where they found cocaine with an estimated street value of between £6,000 to £8,000. They also recovered £1,385 in cash and a set of electronic scales.

Two BMWs were also seized.

Cosmo Budd, who was renting the property in a road which has an average house price of £2 million, was arrested along with Hussein Alwari.

The latter’s home address was also searched where a further quantity of cocaine, scales and £2,120 were seized.

Budd, and Alwari later pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine with intent to supply and being concerned in the supply of cocaine.

Alwari also pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing criminal property (namely the seized cash) and Budd pleaded guilty to possessing criminal property and acquiring criminal property.

They were sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court last Friday.

Alwari, 26, of Ashford Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex was jailed for eight years and nine months.

Budd, 24, of Heathfield Road, Burwash Weald, East Sussex, was jailed for three years and nine months.

PC Kady Cartwright, said: "These dealers thought they could remain anonymous while using a rental property as a base from which to supply a considerable quantity of Class A drugs.

"They did not expect an early morning visit from our officers who caught them red-handed with the cocaine.

"This left them no option other than to plead guilty to their crimes.

"We will of course be seeking to confiscate the seized cash along with two BMWs in their possession by using powers under the Proceeds of Crime Act."