Dealer hid cocaine in Kinder Egg then fled police wrong way up road

Arfeen Saleem was found with a Kinder Egg containing around a gram of cocaine when he was eventually caught, while his accomplice Hafeez Khurshid threw 10 wraps of heroin out the window during the police chase through the streets of Smethwick.

The pair were spotted in a BMW by officers on patrol on Lodge Road at around 1pm on April 28 last year. A woman was seen leaning into a window of the car, arousing their suspicion, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.

As police went to approach the vehicle, reckless driver Saleem, aged 24, made a frantic effort to get away.

He hit speeds of around 50mph on 30mph roads, veering onto the wrong side of roads to overtake other vehicles, clipping the back of a van as he did so.

Mr Mark Phillips, prosecuting, told the court: "The defendant was driving erratically, 50mph in a 30 area, overtaking vehicles and striking the rear of a van and he was overtaking at such a pace."

Saleem was in no mood for hanging around and took to the pavement as his path was blocked by queuing traffic at the junction of Holly Lane and Manor Road, also driving over the edge of front gardens, Mr Phillips said.

The driver was eventually brought to a stop when he became trapped on Hall Road, which was flanked by parked cars.

As a vehicle was already heading towards him and the police were behind, he was left with nowhere to go.

When Saleem was arrested, officers searched him and discovered the Kinder Egg chocolate, inside which cocaine was stashed.

The court heard how Saleem and Khurshid, 22, had turned to dealing drugs after getting into debt with their own suppliers.

Recorder Collingwood Thompson told them: "This is a perfect illustration of what can happen with drug use.

"You both developed drug habits and it appears you both ran up big debts with your drug dealers. You both agreed to supply drugs on the street to help your dealers.

"Mr Saleem you compounded the offence by attempting to escape from police."

Saleem and Khurshid, both of St Paul's Road, Smethwick, pleaded guilty to possession of heroin and cocaine with intent to supply and were jailed for 27 months and 24 months respectively.

Saleem also admitted dangerous driving and was banned from the roads for two and a half years.

Mr Rashad Mohammed, defending Saleem, said: "His supplier told him he wanted the money back and offered him the route to make it. Foolishly he accepted the offer to supply drugs.

"He noticed the police following him and knowing he had drugs he tried to get away."