Drug dealers and criminals have been locked up for a total of six years following a number of successful results from the South Operation Raptor Team.

A drug dealer found with cannabis and cocaine has been jailed for three years.

Billy Neighbour, 26, was spotted by officers from the South Operation Raptor team concealing something in his sock outside his home on Stephenson Drive, Craylands in Basildon on September 11 last year.

When officers approached Neighbour to ask what he was concealing, he became aggressive and ran off. He was chased by officers and searched and was found with cash and a paper ball containing cocaine.

A search of his home in Stephenson Drive also uncovered cannabis.

Neighbour was charged with possession with intent to supply the Class A drug cocaine and possession with intent to supply the Class B drug cannabis.

He admitted the charges at Basildon Crown Court and was jailed for three years.

Neighbour was sentenced on January 30.

Two drug dealers caught with 80 wraps of heroin and crack cocaine have been ordered to carry out 200-hours of community service.

Basildon Crown Court heard how officers from the South Operation Raptor team were patrolling in Rectory Road, Pitsea on July 4 last year when they saw a suspicious vehicle.

They followed the car on to Crest Avenue where they saw 28-year-old Saleh Mohammed and 30-year-old Ahmed Aynashe continuing to act suspiciously and talking on mobile phones.

The pair were searched and Aynashe was found to be hiding a package containing 80 wraps of heroin and crack cocaine in the waistband of his boxer shorts and £245 cash in his pocket. A mobile phone containing evidence linking the pair to the supply of Class A drugs was also found.

Both were arrested and charged with two counts each of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs. Aynashe of no fixed abode and Mohammed currently of Chelmsford Prison, admitted the charges at Basildon Crown Court and both were given a two-year jail term suspended for 18-months and were ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

The pair were sentenced on January 29.

A man, who blew the tyres of a stolen car whilst trying to escape from police, has been jailed for two years.

Officers were patrolling along Cranes Farm Road, Basildon at 10.20pm on December 31st when they spotted a VW Golf driven erratically.

The officers attempted to pull the car over, but it sped off prompting a pursuit.

The driver 20-year-old Christopher Moran drove across the central reservation, speeding back along Cranes Farm Road.

He crashed onto the roundabout, causing the tyres to blow, before stopping in Bentalls where he tried to run away.

Moran was arrested and the Golf was found to be stolen from a burglary in London. The car also had false registration plates.

Moran of Julius Nyerere Close, Islington, London was arrested and charged with dangerous driving, handling stolen goods and driving without insurance.

He admitted the charges when he appeared at Basildon Crown Court, was jailed for two years and was banned from driving for 12-months.

The case was investigated by officers from the South Operation team.

Sentencing took place on January 30.

A motorist caught driving whilst disqualified and not wearing a seatbelt, has been jailed for 16-months.

Officers from the South Operation Raptor team were patrolling on Elizabeth Way, Laindon on June 1 last year when they spotted 30-year-old Sharif Ali.

Ali, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was driving despite being banned until June 2018. The officers used their lights and sirens to get Ali to stop but he refused and drove off at high speed.

In an attempt to get away from the officers he drove at dangerous speed along High Road, Laindon undertaking cars and forcing others to come to an emergency stop.

He was later arrested and charged with driving dangerously, driving without insurance and driving whilst disqualified.

Ali of Camellia Place, Basildon admitted the charges when he appeared at Basildon Crown Court. He was jailed for 16-months, was banned from driving for two years and eight months and was given nine penalty points.

Ali was sentenced on January 19.

Sgt Ben Woollard of the South Operation Raptor team said: “As these results show we continue to hunt out those intent on coming to our county to commit any crime, not just drug or gang-related offences.

“We will continue to put criminals before the courts and behind bars where they belong.”

Essex Police set up Operation Raptor teams in the North, South and West of the county to tackle those committing drug or gang-related crime.

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