A first-time offender with more than 100 wraps of Class A drugs in his pants was sent to prison for more than two years.

Michael Teca, 22, of Woodmill Road, East London, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply cocaine and possession with intent to supply heroin at Chelmsford Crown Court on April 10.

This was Teca’s first offence when he was stopped by officers in 2018. When searched by police it was discovered that he was carrying 112 wraps of cocaine and heroin in his underwear.

He was sentenced to two years and two months imprisonment for both charges of possession with intent to supply, with both sentences to run concurrently.

Investigating officer Detective Sergeant Daniel Smith said: “Teca had never been arrested before this incident and, yet, on his first offence he was found to be carrying a significant quantity of Class A drugs.

“I want this to be a warning to anyone who thinks they can come into Chelmsford and ferry, or deal, drugs.

“Teca will now face years in prison and will have this permanently on his record – we won’t tolerate drug dealing in our county, and will continue to work hard to find first-time offenders like Teca and put them before the courts.”

Teca was stopped while driving a hire car, a blue BMW 1, on Victoria Road in Chelmsford on the afternoon of October 3, 2018, a vehicle he claimed had been hired to go on holiday in.

He was taken back to Chelmsford police station for a strip search and officers discovered two clear bags, filled with 63 wraps of cocaine and 49 wraps of heroin.

Despite the drugs being secured in clear bags, Teca first denied knowing that he was delivering drugs in his pre-sentence review, stating he was simply asked to deliver a package.

He admitted he knew that he was transporting the drugs later when at court, but claimed that he only received payment in the form of a meal.

Essex Police’s Operation Raptor and officers from the force’s Serious Crime Directorate are fighting against the rise in so-called ‘ounty lines’ drug dealing, with drugs being moved out of cities to smaller rural communities.