A DRUG trafficker who hid his cocaine stash in a can of dummy deodorant was caught when he drove the wrong way down a Worcester street and met a police car coming the other way.

Khateeb Shabir was jailed after he admitted possession of cocaine with intent to supply and careless driving at Worcester Crown Court.

The 25-year-old of Friesland Close, Worcester, drove the wrong way along a one-way street, travelling along the city’s Britannia Square towards Hebb Street at around 4.50pm on September 6 last year only to encounter a police car travelling in the opposite direction.

Paul Whitfield, prosecuting, said the defendant volunteered the information he had drugs when officers detained him.

He added: “He was searched and officers discovered a dummy deodorant can which had eight wraps of cocaine hidden in it.”

These eight wraps weighed 5.8g with a street value of £640.

Officers also located two further wraps weighing 0.84g with a street value of £80. The total street value of the drugs was estimated to be £720.

Officers also seized £1,283 in cash and two mobile telephones which, when analysed, revealed evidence of drug dealing. His home was also searched and a further £60 and a third mobile phone were found.

Shabir was arrested, taken to the police station and interviewed under caution.

“Plainly he was suspected by the police of drugs trafficking and drug dealing. When asked about this he made no comment responses to the questions asked of him,” said Mr Whitfield.

One of the messages on the confiscated phones said ‘ring me when you’re active’ and another said ‘do you still need?’

Mr Whitfield added: “It clearly indicates he’s dealing in amounts of drugs for money, for profit.”

Shabir has four convictions for five offences between 2008 and 2013 but no previous drug offences on his record. His last conviction was for assault occasioning actual bodily harm and intimidation of a witness or juror on January 30, 2013.

This led to a nine month prison sentence suspended for 12 months.

The combined value of the drugs and cash seized was placed at £2,063. Shabir had available assets of £1,343 which he must pay within 28 days or face a default period of a month in custody.

Adam Wieczerzak, for Shabir, said his client had accepted it was ‘a stupid thing to do’ but that he had got into debt and did not want to borrow money from his parents, deciding to ‘sort it himself.’

“He throws himself on the mercy of the court” said Mr Wieczerzak who stressed that it was ‘ a small quantity of drugs’ and that he was not before the court on ‘a regular basis’.

He added: “He attends the mosque on a regular basis and considers himself to be a religious individual.”

Recorder Robert Spencer-Bernard jailed him for three years, half of which he will be expected to serve in custody and half on licence in the community.

His licence was endorsed with six penalty points for driving without due care and attention.