A drug dealer found with dozens of wraps of heroin and cocaine in the glove box of his car avoided a spell behind bars.

Paul Lovett, 38, was arrested after officers stopped his red Kia in Southchurch Road, Southend, on July 15 last year.

The officers carried out a search of the car and discovered a tub in the glove box containing 74 wraps of Class A drugs.

In total there were 45 wraps of cocaine and 29 wraps of heroin.

Lovett, of Shaftesbury Avenue, Southend, was charged with two counts of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs, two counts of possession with intent to supply a Class A drug and being concerned in the supply of a Class B drug.

Charles Mitchell, 24, of Bellevue Road, Southend, was a passenger in the car.

He was arrested and charged with two counts of possession with intent to supply a Class A drug and possessing a Class A drug.

Lovett admitted the charges when he appeared at Basildon Crown Court.

He was given a two-year jail term suspended for two years, ordered to complete a six month drug rehabilitation requirement and was made the subject of a six-month curfew between the hours of 7pm and 7am.

Following the sentencing a spokesperson for the South Operation Raptor team said: “These men were clearly intent on supplying Class A substances on the streets of Southend.

“Fortunately we were them to stop him before those drugs reached the streets.

“We will continue to target those people who think they can sell drugs on our streets – they cant.”

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

Anyone with information about drug or gang-related crime can contact Essex Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Lovett was sentenced at Basildon Crown Court on Thursday, November 14.

Mitchell was jailed for 28 months at an earlier hearing at the same court in October.