A DRUG dealer who was caught with uncut heroin and crack cocaine on the streets of Braintree has been jailed for three-and-a-half years.

Officers from Essex Police's North Operation Raptor team were patrolling in the town centre when they became suspicious of a black Ford Fiesta.

Observing the vehicle and its driver, Amara Conteh, for some time, officers eventually decided to stop it.

However as they approached the car, Conteh, 26, got out of the vehicle and fled the scene on foot.

A chase ensued, and Conteh was eventually tackled and then searched.

Police found two mobile phones, a package in his hand containing roughly three grams of heroin and nearly six grams of crack cocaine concealed in his sock.

The drugs, which were seized after Conteh was arrested on June 9, 2017, had an estimated street value of £850.

Conteh, 26, was arrested, charged and pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing a Class A drug with intent to supply.

The dealer, of Homerton Road, Hackney, was sentenced to three-and-a-half years at Chelmsford Crown Court on Wednesday, July 11.

PC Richard Philipsen, of the North Operation Raptor team, said: “We have said before, and we will continue to keep saying, that we will not tolerate those who are intent on coming to our county to commit crime.

“We know who the drug dealers are, we know where they operate, who they associate with and even the vehicles they drive. It is only a matter of time before you can expect to be arrested by us.

“We will not stop in our relentless pursuit of those committing drug or gang-related crime on the streets of Essex.”

Essex Police set up Operation Raptor teams in north, south and west of the county to tackle drug and gang crime.

If you have information about drug or gang-related crime in your community contact Essex Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.