A Coventry drug dealer has been jailed after he was caught with a kilo of heroin hidden inside a taxi during a police stop.

Keren Kumar, 32, was found sitting in the back of a Toyota Prius on Jimmy Hill Way on November 4 last year when police swooped. A roadside search revealed a small amount of heroin stuffed into a piece of paper hidden in his sock.

But the bigger discovery came moments later — inside an Asda shopping bag near where Kumar had been sitting, officers found a zipper bag containing just over 1kg of heroin. The street value of the haul was estimated at up to £23,000.

Despite initially denying any knowledge of the drugs, Kumar later admitted possession of heroin with intent to supply. He appeared before Birmingham Crown Court on April 25, where he was sentenced to three years and six months in prison.

Kumar, who has no fixed address, was targeted as part of Operation Target, the West Midlands Police’s relentless 24/7 crackdown on serious and organised crime.

A spokesperson for the Regional Organised Crime Unit for the West Midlands (ROCUWM) praised the operation, stating:

“This arrest and conviction sends a strong message that drug dealers will be relentlessly pursued. Operation Target will continue to dismantle organised crime across the region.”

Police have urged the public to report any suspicious activity to help keep illegal drugs off the streets.

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