Driver who tried to avoid Southend police stop arrested after 50+ bags of suspected drugs found

A driver who tried to avoid a police checkpoint in Southend-on-Sea was arrested after officers found more than 50 bags of suspected drugs in his car, Essex Police said.

The driver was seen reversing after he spotted an enforcement site outside the Old Nazareth House on London Road, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, on September 16, according to the force.

Officers followed the car and stopped it. A search uncovered the bags of suspected drugs, and the driver failed a roadside drug test.

He was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply and drug driving.

The offenses were among 95 identified during a road safety operation in Southend, the force added.

Officers issued 26 seat belt tickets and 30 mobile phone tickets. Two drivers were reported for driving outside the terms of their license, two for having no insurance, and three vehicles were seized for no insurance.

Two drivers were also ticketed for vehicle defects related to MOT requirements, while officers dealt with 11 license plate offenses.

The figures offer a snapshot of the road safety issues officers are confronting in the area, from suspected drug supply and drug driving to insurance, seat belt, phone use and vehicle equipment violations. Such stops can quickly lead to more serious investigations when officers find evidence of other suspected crimes.

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