Mickeel Lemar Smith, aged 28 and of Tilson Gardens, Lambeth in London, appeared at Bournemouth Crown Court on Wednesday 18 May 2022 and was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison after admitting two charges of possessing class A drugs with intent to supply.

Shortly after 3pm on Saturday 18 April 2020 officers stopped a vehicle on the A338 Spur Road near to Ashley Heath. The country was in lockdown at the time due to the Coronavirus pandemic and people were restricted to essential travel.

As officers were enquiring with the occupants of the vehicle as to the purpose of their journey, they noticed the smell of cannabis coming from the car. They carried out a search and found a quantity of herbal cannabis located in the vehicle.

Smith said the cannabis belonged to him. He was arrested and was then subjected to a full search.

In his possession officers found more than 100 clingfilm wraps containing brown and white powder. These were analysed and found to contain heroin and cocaine with a total estimated street value of approximately £1,460.

Police Constable Mark Burton, of the traffic unit, said: “Through this proactive stop by officers we were able to identify an individual involved in the supply of class A drugs and take a quantity of these drugs off the streets.

“Our roads policing teams carry out regular patrols of the county’s road networks to help keep road users safe and ensure motorists are complying with traffic regulations. However, as this case also demonstrates, we also provide a visible policing presence, and our proactive efforts can help detect other criminality.”