Man jailed for more than six years after police seize half-a-million pounds worth of cocaine

Keith Chamberlain was seen by police attempting to do a quick U-turn on Chestnut Road in Oldbury in August and was stopped.

While talking to the 63-year-old, officers spotted a bag for life on the floor behind the driver’s seat which had a puppy training pad partially covering the contents, but packages with brown tape on were visible inside.

The officers searched the black Vauxhall Zafira and found five kilogram blocks of cocaine inside the bag for life, as well as a further block in the boot inside another bag for life, which Chamberlain had also tried to hide with a puppy training pad.

Chamberlain was arrested and three mobile phones and a Sat Nav were recovered from the car.

On searching his flat in Woodcock Lane, Acocks Green, officers found another block of cocaine inside a drawer and a further seven blocks concealed inside a blue suitcase, with another pack of puppy training pads found in the lounge.

Officers were able to link the drugs recovered from the car to those seized in the flat due to their similarities, with the 14 blocks valued at almost half a million pounds combined.

The blocks were identical in shape and size, each weighing one kilogram, with brown tape on and a small piece of paper inside the packaging with ‘2021’ written on it.

The 63-year-old Chamberlain was found guilty at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Tuesday, October 19 of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs and sentenced to six years and five months in prison.

DCI Leanne Lowe, from the Regional Organised Crime Unit, said: "Chamberlain was handling large quantities of Class A drugs, drugs that can destroy lives and often fuel further crimes, causing misery to many.

"Thanks to our officers, the blocks of cocaine seized won’t hit the streets or cause any further harm.

"Our officers will proactively seek out dealers, and those involved in the criminality, and we will always look to prosecute."