A drug dealer who was caught with nearly a kilogram of cocaine after he got stuck in traffic at the Dartford Crossing has been jailed.

Marian Dinca was forced to stop by police near the Crossing in April 2020, and was found with cocaine worth around £45,000 to £90,000.

The 26-year-old, of Ambleside Drive, Leicester, admitted possessing cocaine with intent to supply, being concerned in the supply of cocaine and acquiring criminal property.

He was sentenced to jail for four years and four months at Maidstone Crown Court on Friday 22 May.

Officers located his car, a black Fiat 500, travelling towards Essex on the afternoon of 17 April and, after observing it for a short period, acted quickly to detain the driver when he became stuck in traffic. 

A search of the vehicle uncovered a reusable supermarket bag that contained 0.9 kilograms of cocaine which had an estimated street value of £45,000 to £90,000.

A smartphone was also seized and while Dinca was in custody the handset received several messages that clearly connected him to the transportation of the drug.

Leicestershire Police carried out further searches at the offender’s home, leading to the discovery of £12,500 in cash.

Dinca was charged the day after his arrest and has been held on remand since.

Detective Sergeant Jason Booth, Kent Police’s investigating officer for the case, said: "A substantial amount of cocaine was found in Dinca’s car and this, coupled with the phone we seized, provides clear evidence that he was involved in a well organised plot to supply class A drugs.

"The quality of our evidence gathering, combined with the professionalism of our officers who acted quickly to detain him, led to this arrest.

"This result sends a clear message that we have the expertise and resources to target individuals involved in organised criminality in our county."