A seemingly respectable boss of a travel company hid cocaine in the wall of his office and had more of the drug stashed in his home and car, and at a safe house, a court heard.

Neil Wheatley was caught with a total of 4.426 kilos of high purity cocaine worth up to almost £600,000 and £46,610 in cash.

The 46-year-old father was jailed for eight years today after he admitted being concerned in the supply of a Class A drug.

Maidstone Crown Court heard police stopped Wheatley’s Mini at 4.20pm on Friday, December 14 last year in Gundulph Road, Chatham.

He told officers he had just left work at nearby First & Business Class Travel in Rochester High Street, where he was a director.

Prosecutor Tom Dunn said Wheatley was found to have a golf ball sized lump of cocaine and £500 on him.

But when the car was searched more thoroughly, 637g of the drug at 93 per cent purity was discovered behind the dashboard in place of the airbag, along with £3,816 cash.

A search of Wheatley’s first floor office revealed 623g of cocaine concealed in an air vent in the wall, along with £31,845 in cash.

There was a further 124g of cocaine in a tub in the fridge and drug paraphernalia including electronic scales and packaging containing “Shrek TK” logo branding, “tick” lists, vacuum sealing bags and other paperwork indicative of drug dealing.

“It was taken to give evidence suggesting the premises were being used for the hiding and preparation for the distribution of large quantities of high purity cocaine,” said Mr Dunn.

When police went to search Wheatley’s home in Tuscan Drive, Lordswood, his stepdaughter was leaving.

She had with her a Louis Vuitton bag containing a large amount of cash and a bin bag which contained items connected with drug supply.

Wheatley’s wife said there was £5,000 there which she was using to repay her daughter.

A “Dad” trophy had traces of powder in it and £10,000 in cash was seized.

Mr Dunn said packaging discovered was indicative of further quantities of cocaine having “passed through”.

“The prosecution put this as a snapshot of what was going on at the time,” he continued.

Police also searched an empty house in Mierscourt Road in Rainham, which Wheatley was using as a safe house to store the drug.

Three one kilo blocks of cocaine at 87 per cent purity were hidden in the loft space. Seized from the kitchen was £250 and drugs equipment.

Mr Dunn said Wheatley played a leading role, adding: “It is buying and selling on a commercial scale. The purity of the cocaine could support the inference it was close to the original source.

“Given the quantity of drugs and cash, there was an expectation of substantial financial gain.”

Mr Dunn said the travel agency was not a sham business but was used as a cover and an operating base for drugs.

Wheatley’s wife and stepdaughter watched from the public gallery as Tom Stern, defending, said it was acknowledged that the drug seizures and cash was a snapshot of what was going on.

“There have been quantities of drugs passing through his hands,” he said. “It is accepted these drugs do not represent the whole of his culpability.

“It is plain he was very much practical and hands-on in terms of the drugs, rather than supervising and organising from the wings.”

It had to be assessed, he said, against a background of cocaine addiction which spiralled out of control after seeing his best friend killed in a road accident.

“For some years he struggled to cope with the impact of that,” said Mr Stern. “He masked his grief through drugs. It involved significant quantities from 2016 to 2018 – three to four grams a day, sometimes bingeing on a greater amount.

“So far as the business premises go, it is a legitimate business but he accepts he used it as a practical conveyance in terms of the drugs that had been cut down and distributed.”

Mr Stern said Wheatley, who established the business with two partners but was no longer involved, was thankful he was caught and “separated from the lifestyle he had become immersed in”.

“He now has the opportunity and prospect of rehabilitation and returning to the legitimate life he had,” he added. “He was driven by his dependence on cocaine, rather than something more ruthless and blatant.”

“You are a family man with a history of working hard and not a hint of serious criminality in your past..." Judy Khan QC

Passing sentence, Recorder Judy Khan QC told Chatham born Wheatley, who admitted being concerned in the supply of drugs and possessing criminal property: “You of all people know only too well the devastation and misery this drug can cause.

“You have no convictions of relevance. I have seen a number of references. They all speak of you in glowing terms. The death of your friend had a devastating impact on you and your drug use spiralled out of control.

“You are a family man with a history of working hard and not a hint of serious criminality in your past. I have taken all that very much into account.”

After sentencing, Medway's district commander Chief Insp Rob Marsh said: "All the indications are that Neil Wheatley was one of the leaders of an organised crime group who sold large amounts of crack cocaine on the streets of Kent and beyond.

"Law-abiding people do not usually stuff bundles of cash into walls or airbag compartments so it is no surprise that Wheatley pleaded guilty to the offences he was charged with. He had no choice in the face of such compelling evidence.

"I hope this result sends a clear message to others that we take a zero tolerance approach to the supply of class A drugs in Kent and will not hesitate to arrest and prosecute those who seek to benefit from the misery of others.’