A PAIR of dealers who sold drugs on the streets of Thurrock and were caught with heroin and crack cocaine worth more than £11,700 have been sentenced.

Ben O'Leary and Jamie Drysdale were identified as running the Billy Boy drug line, which was selling drugs in the Thurrock area.

Officers stopped Drysdale while he was driving along Stifford Hill, South Ockendon, on 6 February and noticed he was trying to hide something in his underwear.

During a strip search in custody, officers found a bag of 66 wraps of drugs in his pants, and a single wrap in his sock. They were tested and found to contain heroin and crack cocaine with an estimated street value of £660.

O'Leary was arrested the same day after officers executed a search warrant at his home in Hudson Crescent, Leigh-on-Sea. He jumped the garden fence and threw a carrier bag over a garage block, but was caught and arrested.

A large quantity of drugs, a set of scales, three mobile phones, and drugs packaging were found inside the bag.

O'Leary had £930 cash in his pocket and another £880 was found inside his home, along with a bag of cannabis, a knife and a machete. An imitation firearm was under his pillow.

The drugs were valued at around £11,110.

They were each charged with two counts of conspiracy to supply class A drugs and two counts of possessing a class A drug with intent to supply. O'Leary, 20, was also charged with possessing criminal property.

They admitted the offences and were sentenced yesterday (Tuesday, 30 March) at Basildon Crown Court.

Drysdale, 30, of North Street, Bexleyheath, was jailed for two and-a-half years. O'Leary was sentenced to four and-a-half years in a young offenders institute.

Detective Sergeant Russ Chamberlain said: "O'Leary and Drysdale were caught by surprise but it shouldn't have come as a shock because if you are dealing drugs in Essex, expect a knock on the door from us soon.

"We know who you are and there isn't anywhere to hide. Drugs cause so much harm in our communities and we are doing everything we can to make sure people are protected and criminals are caught."