TWO Worcester drug dealers who ran a "significant enterprise" supplying thousands of pounds worth of heroin and cocaine every day have been sent to jail, we reported four years ago this month.

When police found Aaron Saunders, then 22, and Liam Chapman, then aged 20, at Chapman's home in the city they were met by an "overwhelming smell of cannabis" and the sound of a toilet flushing, Worcester Crown Court was told in March 2017.

Officers then found the remains of cannabis in the toilet bowl.

Mobile phone records showed Saunders had a "management role" in the operation and instructed Chapman where to go to make the deals, the court heard.

Most of the deals took place in the Evesham area, Simon Cooper, prosecuting, said.

Saunders, of Woodmancote, Worcester, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of heroin and cocaine and possession of criminal property in the form of cash.

Chapman, of Lilac Avenue, Worcester, pleaded guilty to supplying heroin and possession with intent to supply cannabis.

Mr Cooper said police were looking for Saunders on another matter and went to Chapman's home in Lilac Avenue on a tip-off.

When Chapman opened the door there was an overwhelming smell of cannabis and the sound of a toilet flushing.

A bag of cannabis was found on the toilet floor and remains of cannabis were found in the toilet bowl, Mr Cooper said.

Police found £345 in cash and seized mobile phones which contained messaged relating to drug dealing.

Saunders and Chapman were bailed and eight months later on October 12 last year, police went to re-arrest them for failing to meet the conditions.

Chapman was there and was found to be in possession of a total of £1,000 worth of heroin and cocaine at street value in separate £10 deals wrapped in clingfilm in plastic Kinder egg containers, Mr Cooper said.

Saunders was arrested on November 25 in Worcester after being "at large" for three months following his recall to custody on licence.

Police found £3,590 in his flat and mobile phone records showed he had used 17 different mobile SIM cards in three months.

"It was a significant ongoing enterprise over some months with thousands of pounds of drugs being sold on a daily basis," Mr Cooper said.

The court heard phone messages showed there had been an average of 170 deals a day at £10 each and the dealing had moved on from cannabis to class A drugs.

Martin Butterworth, for Saunders, said he was paid by people higher up the chain of supply and had become "locked into the world" of drug dealing after he became addicted to cocaine.

Jason Patel, for Chapman, told the court he was in breach of two suspended sentences.

He had a long term addiction to cannabis and had fully accepted his responsibility. He had been taking courses while in custody and hoped his family would provide him with a job on his release.

Judge Robert Juckes, QC, said Saunders had told Chapman where to go, what to do and how to deal the drugs on the street but was being managed by those higher up.

Saunders was given a total of four years.

Chapman was given three years for the class A offence plus eight months for the cannabis dealing and four months activated on the suspended sentences, a total of four years.