KWAKU Lewis was getting ready to sell crack and heroin from his mobile shop when he was stopped and arrested by police.

Now the 39-year-old, who came to Swindon with a stock of drugs, a cash float and a dirty phone in his car as part of a county lines drug dealing operation is starting a four-year prison sentence.

Lewis, who has previously been jailed for seven years for importing hard drugs, was driving across the town when he was spotted.

James Tucker, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court: “Mr Lewis was active in the retail market using what is commonly known as county lines to market and sell drugs.”

Police spotted him in a 2008 plate Lexus crossing the Magic Roundabout on October 30 last year, he said.

They followed and pulled him over a mile or so away on Pinehurst Road what he described as a relatively hard stop just after 10am in the morning.In the car police found a full drug dealing kit, with 16 wraps of high purity crack and 21 of heroin, both retailing at £10 each.

He also had a float of £218 in cash, a dealer’s list and a number of mobile phones, one of which was pin locked.

When he got to the police station he told officers he was in town following a family bereavement to stay with a long term friend he said was called Bernie. He claimed he had been asked to hold on to the package for someone and while he suspected they were drugs he was not selling them.

Mr Tucker said he was released on bail while the locked phone was analysed, revealing a number of drugs marketing texts had been sent out. The defendant then said that he was acting as a courier, but eventually accepted what he was doing.

Lewis, of Kensal Green, north London, pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing drugs with intent to supply.

The court heard that he had a number of convictions including one from 1999 for importing class A drugs.

Jeffrey Shine, defending, said shortly before the incident his client’s mother had died and he had borrowed money to pay his share of £12,000 funeral costs. After coming to Swindon he said he was offered the opportunity to earn some money by drug dealing and he foolishly accepted.

Jailing him Judge Jason Taylor QC said “The fact remains that you fall to be sentenced for dealing in a significant role.”

Afterwards Det Cons George Booth, from the dedicated crime team, said: “This is an example of proactive work by the dedicated crime team, targeting the most dangerous in our communities.

“Drug dealers like Lewis do not care about how the drugs they sell destroy lives, all they care about is earning money by any means possible regardless of the consequences“I welcome this result as it sends a clear message to anyone considering dealing drugs here - we will do all we can to find you and you will face prosecution.”