DRUGS with a street value of £50,000, and £19,000 in cash, were seized after police stopped a dealer in his car.

Drug squad officers recovered 374.77 grams of cocaine, 3,343 Ecstasy tablets and 514 grams of cannabis resin after the arrest of 37-year-old Thomas Davidson.

He was stopped while driving a Renault Megane in Bishop Auckland on June 4. Subsequent searches of a caravan in Bishop Auckland and his house in High Northgate, Darlington, led to the recovery of the drugs and money.

Davidson, who admitted possessing cocaine, Ecstasy and cannabis resin with intent to supply, was yesterday warned he faces a lengthy prison sentence.

Judge Michael Cartlidge adjourned sentence at Durham Crown Court for four months to allow for an investigation into Davidson's gains through dealing.

Jamie Adams, prosecuting, said an application would be made to confiscate assets, considered "considerable", from Davidson's drug dealing. These included a property and a bank account in Spain, but investigation was needed to ascertain the full amount.

"There is already a restraining order in place over numerous assets of the defendant in this country, and that will continue until confiscation orders have been made," he said.

"He made full admissions to police in interview that he dealt in class A drugs for around a year. He admitted £19,000 of the money recovered from his home represented the profit from his drug dealing in the previous year."

Eric Elliott, for Davidson, said he pleaded guilty on the basis he was dealing on behalf of others and he did not accept some police estimates.

"He accepts £19,000 recovered from his house was proceeds of drug dealing, but it isn't his. It is part and parcel of the dealing he was involved in," he said.

"The money can be confiscated, but it is relevant whether he would have benefited from that, or if he was going to hand it over to others."

Davidson was remanded in custody pending the conclusion of the drug dealing inquiry.