A county town drug dealer was carrying 58 wraps of heroin and cocaine worth an estimated £500 when police stopped his car.

Abhijit Suklabaidya was arrested last month and appeared at Leicester Crown Court today to be sentenced to 26 months in prison after pleading guilty to four drug offences.

Leicestershire Police released details of the 25-year-old's drug dealing in the town.

It said Suklabaidya, of Gladstone Avenue, Loughborough , admitted to selling cocaine and heroin during a drug deal  in the Maxwell Drive area of the town in January this year.

In a statement, it said: "Later the same day, he was stopped by police in a car and was found in possession of 58 wraps of class A drugs – estimated to have a street value of around £500.

Jailed: Abhijit Suklabaidya sold heroin and cocaine to users in Loughborough
Jailed: Abhijit Suklabaidya sold heroin and cocaine to users in Loughborough

"At his first court appearance last month Suklabaidya pleaded guilty to two counts of supplying class A drugs and two counts of possession with intent to supply class A drugs.

Suklabaidya was arrested as part of Operation Lionheart, a campaign launched to tackle drug dealing across the city and county, including the growing problem of 'county lines' dealing.

Previously the force has warned that crime gangs are moving youngsters in and out of the city and county to sell drugs for them - the practice of exploiting young people in this way is known as 'county lines'.

So far, officers have executed more than 140 warrants and charged 99 people with drug-related offences.

Also today, a further defendant, Bruce Bateson, was sentenced as part of the operation.

The 57-year-old of Knightthorpe Road, Loughborough, admitted selling cocaine in September last year in the Keats Way area of the town.

Bateson pleaded guilty to one count of supplying a class A drug at an earlier hearing.

He was given a two-year prison sentence, suspended for two years, during a hearing at Leicester Crown Court today.