A DRUG dealer caught in north Lancashire with £120,000 of drugs has been sentenced to five years in prison.

Paul Oakes, 44, of Liverpool, was jailed at Preston Crown Court today after being caught transporting cocaine and heroin up the M6 at Lancaster Forton Services in November last year.

He had previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession of cocaine with intent to supply and one count of possession of heroin with intent to supply.

Today he was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for each offence, to be served concurrently.

Both offences were discovered on November 15, when Oakes was stopped by a motorway patrol at the M6 northbound services.

Officers assisted by drugs dogs searched Oakes’ vehicles and discovered crack cocaine valued at nearly £32,000 and heroin valued at over £88,000, both of which were already packaged in plastic wraps, concealed in the spare tyre within the vehicle’s boot.

DC Tristan Hardwick of Lancaster CID said; “The seizure of these drugs will have a large impact for the area they were intended.

“Lancashire Constabulary will continue to actively police our motorway networks to ensure criminals are not using them as part of their illegal activities.”