Musiwa Kanhukamwe, 28, was stopped by police in All Saints Road, Peterborough, on 4 April last year when officers on patrol noticed him and an unknown man acting suspiciously.

The pair ran off when they saw the police, but officers managed to catch up with Kanhukamwe who stopped and was detained for a search.

During the search officers initially discovered three mobile phones. While in the process of searching Kanhukamwe, a member of the public came over to speak to officers about an unrelated matter. During that time, Kanhukamwe pulled a packet of white powder from his person and tried to put it in his mouth.

Officers acted quickly to prevent Kanhukamwe from ingesting the substance. As they forced his arms away from his mouth, the packet opened and a number of individual wraps of white powder – which turned out to be heroin and cocaine with a street value of more than £1300 – fell to the ground.

Kanhukamwe was taken to hospital as a precaution, but was released later that evening and booked into custody at Thorpe Wood Police Station.

Kanhukamwe, of no known address, later pleaded guilty to two counts of possession with intent to supply class A.

He was sentenced to 20 months in prison at Peterborough Crown Court yesterday (30 November).

DC Chris Goodman, who investigated, said: “Kanhukamwe was found to have a significant amount of class A drugs on him along with incriminating mobile phones.

“To try to conceal the drugs from us by eating them was extremely dangerous and it’s thanks to the quick reactions of our officers that he wasn’t able to do so.

“I’m glad justice has been done today.”