A DRUG dealer has been jailed for nearly four years after cocaine and cannabis worth about £28,000 was seized by police.

Officers spotted a Vauxhall Combo van without insurance in Main Road, Dovercourt, on January 14.

When they approached it, they found it unlocked with no-one inside.

An Essex Police spokesman said it smelt strongly of cannabis so officers carried out a search and found freezer bags containing herbal cannabis, two plastic boxes containing cocaine, and a set of scales.

They then executed a search warrant at an address where they saw the van on January 17 and found cocaine hidden inside two suitcases.

Ten days later, they searched another address in Old Vicarage Road, Dovercourt, and found 27 bags of cocaine and drugs paraphernalia.

Outside the home was a BMW, which had a large bag of herbal cannabis inside.

Both addresses were linked to Daryl Warner, who was linked to the drugs through forensic examinations.

Officers also found logs of drug deals and a phone containing messages relating to drugs.

Warner, 24, was arrested outside the Main Road house on April 18.

He was charged with two counts of being concerned in the supply of a class B drug and one count of being concerned in the supply of a class A drug.

He pleaded guilty when he appeared at Ipswich Crown Court on Friday, May 17 and was jailed for a total of 44 months.