A drug dealer has been jailed for more than five years for his role in a drugs line between Chelmsford and London.

Essex Police's Op Raptor team were investigating the ‘Afghan’ drugs line which was responsible for selling crack cocaine and heroin between London and Chelmsford.

The intelligence work and studying phone data, officers had identified two men - 25 year-old Khulateen Ahmed and 51 year-old David McColl – as being involved in selling drugs for the Afghan line.

On March 22 this year officers saw a man identified as 51 year-old David McColl jumping over the wall of an address in Thomas Close and believed he was trying to evade them.

When they detained him they suspected he had swallowed drugs and he was arrested.

During a search of his home address in Thomas Close, officers found Ahmed inside carrying a bag which contained two mobile phones and a package containing crack cocaine and heroin.

Both men were later charged.

At Chelmsford Crown Court on May 4 Ahmed, of Markhouse Road, Walthamstow admitted being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine, being concerned in the supply of heroin, possession of a knife, and possession of cannabis while McColl admitted being conerned in the supply of crack cocained and being concerned in the supply of heroin.

At the same court on July 7 Ahmed was jailed for five years and eight months while McColl received a two year sentence which has been suspended for two years.

Detective Sergeant Thomas Coppin, from the Op Raptor team, said: “Drugs are a scourge on our society, destroying lives and causing misery to our communities.

“Often the sale of drugs goes hand in hand with violence.

“I am pleased that Khulateen Ahmed is now behind bars but our work to tackle drug dealing doesn’t stop here.

“We will continue to be out around the county identifying those responsible for selling drugs, disrupting their activities, and putting them behind bars.”