A drug dealer who was found smuggling a cocaine-filled Kinder egg between his bottom has been jailed for three years. 

Raymond Pearce was stopped by officers on Myrtle Road on Sunday, February 18, when he was searched and found to be in possession of roughly £150 in cash and a heavily ringing mobile phone.

The 42-year-old, of no fixed address, was then taken to a police statement and strip-searched, where officers found a Kinder egg located between his bottom. 

Inside the chocolate egg were 25 wraps of crack cocaine with a street value of approximately £500.

Pearce was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply class A drugs and interviewed - with the Crown Prosecution Service then charging him and remanding him in custody.

On Tuesday (August 27), Pearce appeared at Teesside Crown Court after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing. He was sentenced to three years in prison.

PC Lee Swainston, from Stockton’s neighbourhood policing team, said: “We’re relentless in acting on intelligence from members of the public who report individuals suspected of supplying drugs in Stockton.

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“This information leads to officers stopping people like Pearce and conducting searches that recover drugs that are due to be supplied to vulnerable people as well as the money that the dealers higher up the chain make from it.

“I want to take this opportunity to encourage people within our community to keep being our eyes and ears by recognising the signs of drug activity and reporting it so we can continue to see results like this.”

If you believe drug activity is taking place in your neighbourhood, please call Cleveland Police on 101 or if reticent to come forward, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.