Two Medway drug dealers have been jailed today after being caught red handed with Class A drugs in a police raid.

Stuart Hart, 36, and Terry Monaghan, 50, were both arrested when members of Kent Police’s Operation Jupiter team carried out simultaneous warrants in The Vineries, Gillingham and Coronation Road, Chatham, on December 5 last year.

At The Vineries police found Hart trying to hide between two vehicles on the driveway, carrying three mobile phones, packages of crack cocaine and heroin worth £1000, as well as digital scales and around £1,200 in cash.

When one of his phones rang repeatedly, officers answered it, and requests were made by the callers for drugs.

At the Chatham property, Terry Monaghan was found throwing two packages out of a rear window of the building - which were found to contain 40 wraps of heroin and crack cocaine, worth around £400.

An investigation revealed that Monaghan had been working for Hart to distribute drugs in the area, and that Hart had visited the Coronation Road property shortly before the warrants were executed.

Both Hart and Monaghan were sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court on Friday March 24.

Monaghan, of Duncan Road in Gillingham, received 32 months in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs.

Hart, of the Vineries, was sentenced to a total of 52 months in prison for seven offences.

He admitted three offences relating to drug dealing and drug possession, and was also sentenced for four driving offences in relation to an incident on September 28 last year - when he drove away from police and was seen to drive a BMW up Chatham Hill in the wrong lane, forcing other drivers to pull in to the bus lane to avoid collision.

He was disqualified from driving for three years and must take an extended driving test.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Mark Donovan said: "There was clear evidence that Hart and Monaghan were linked and played their part in this illegal trade.

"Drugs can have serious, far-reaching consequences on a community and they are not welcome in Kent.

"Officers will continue to work to disrupt the drugs supply into the county and target those who are responsible."

Operation Jupiter is part of local strategy designed to tackle emerging criminal gangs, whose members often travel into the county from other areas. The strategy includes taking robust action to deter criminals in areas including Medway, Swale, Gravesham and Dartford, often in connection with the sale and distribution of drugs.