A BECKENHAM man has been jailed after an armed robbery in Beckenham High Street led to the discovery of £1 million worth of drugs.

Richard Salih, aged 25, of Hayes Lane, pleaded guilty to robbery, possessing a shotgun with intent to cause fear and violence, possessing Class B drugs with intent to supply and possessing Class A drugs.

He was jailed for a total of eight years at Croydon Crown Court.

On February 16, at around 10am, he entered the Paddy Power store wearing a balaclava, pointed a gun at the manager and demanded “his money” back.

He addressed the manager by his first name during the robbery, and was handed £3,000 before fleeing the scene.

Having lost around £10,000 while gambling at the bookmakers the previous day, he was quickly identified as the suspect and arrested on suspicion of robbery in Burnhill Road, Beckenham, at 4.40pm.

Salih claimed he was living at his parents’ address, but correspondence found on him led police to a rented flat in Kelsey Lane, Beckenham.

More than 130 blocks of cannabis resin, with a street value in excess of £1m, and a quantity of cocaine, were discovered.

Sergeant Dave French, from Bromley police's borough support unit, said: "In my 14 years’ service I have never seen such a large quantity of drugs in one place.

"Drug dealing in Bromley cannot and will not be tolerated.

"If you are coming to Bromley to deal drugs, you need to think again. You will be targeted, you will be arrested and you will be charged and put before the court."