LEYTON: Man jailed for drugs offences

9:14am Tuesday 13th May 2008

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A MAN has been jailed for five years for drugs offences after his car containing heroin was searched by officers in Leyton.

Unemployed Nadeem Patel, 23, of Henniker Road, near Leyton, was sentenced to five years in prison for possession with intent to supply class A drugs at Snaresbrook Crown Court.

His girlfriend Rahema Patel, of Ilford, was sentenced to three years behind bars.

They were arrested on October 22 during a police intelligence operation.

Officers observed Rahema leaving a hotel reception in Barking and getting into a Range Rover motor vehicle in the car park.

After a short period of time she stepped back out and returned to the hotel holding a rolled up newspaper.

Officers followed Rahema back to her hotel room, where she was found with £20,000 in cash and 216g of heroin, which has an estimated street value of at least £6500.

Also found was a working set of electronic scales and a series of plastic bags.

At the same time Nadeem was arrested for possession of drugs with intent to supply.

Nadeem was observed parking his Golf motor vehicle at Leyton Leisure Lagoon, in High Road, and was detained shortly afterwards.

Officers searched Nadeem and his car, recovering 1kg of heroin, with an estimated street value of at least £30,000.

A small quantity of this recovery was found in Nadeem's waistband and the rest had been split into 243g lots and stashed in a large bag on the passenger foot well of his car.

Officers later searched Nadeem's home address, where £2,000 was found under a bed.

Met Central Task Force Det Insp Marion Ryan said: "The Central Task Force is committed to dismantling criminal networks that make their money through the selling of Class 'A' drugs.

"The seizure of these drugs with a street value in excess of £35,000 again targets this criminal element in society and demonstrates the Met's drive to make the streets of London safer."

They both pleaded guilty .