A DRUG trafficker was stopped on the M5 as police swooped, seizing a large consignment of heroin which could have sold for tens of thousands on the streets.

Worcester drugs officers were responsible for investigating Allan Joseph Golding who was a passenger in a car stopped by Worcester roads police on the M5.

Police seized his stash, a quarter of a kilo of deal-ready heroin, which on the streets could have sold for as much as £25,000.

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Golding was already on licence at the time the Volkswagen Golf was pulled over on July 8 this year on the M5 southbound between junctions 9 and 10.

The defendant of Hillside Road, Huyton, Liverpool claimed he became involved in trafficking the heroin after his parents had been threatened with violence over money he owed to dealers built up due to his 20 year cocaine habit.

He admitted possession of heroin with intent to supply after he was found with more than eight ounces (250g) of the drug and was sentenced at Worcester Crown Court on Monday.

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The court heard how he was already jailed for six years and eight months for a supply offence - conspiracy to supply class A drugs (cocaine) in Liverpool in September 2015 after he sold drugs to undercover officers on six separate occasions.

Adam Western, prosecuting, said: “From his inside right pocket police officers seized two tennis ball-sized packages. Two similar packages were seized from the left inside pocket of his coat.”

Each of the four packages contained about two ounces of heroin worth in total between £1,600 and £2,500.

The defendant was arrested alongside three other males in the car although no further action has been taken against them. “It’s not anticipated they will face charges” said Mr Western.

One of the men in the car – Paul Mangan - was a co-conspirator sentenced alongside Golding for the previous drug trafficking offence in 2015.

The four packages of heroin ranged from between 19 and 23 per cent purity. An expert examining the drugs said they were ready to serve at street level. The total value of the drugs was between £3,200 and £5,000. However, sold in 0.1g deals, it was estimated that the heroin could have fetched as much as £25,000 when sold on the street although it was accepted not all of that cash would have ended up in Golding's pockets.

Glenn Cook, defending, asked the defendant to be given credit for his early guilty plea. He said at the time his client was abusing cocaine but not heroin and had never taken heroin.

“He had been using cocaine for some 20 years from the age of 16. He’s now 36,” said the advocate.

As a result of his drug habit Golding drummed up a debt of £4,500 to dealers in Liverpool. “They found out where his mother and father lived and began to make threats of violence towards them” said Mr Cook.

He said the drugs were being trafficked from Merseyside to Glastonbury when police officers intercepted the consignment, stating to officers the heroin was his.

Recorder Charles Falk said: “This is not the first time you have been before the court for class A drug trafficking. There were other men in the car in suspicious circumstances but I sentence you on the basis that I cannot be sure they were involved.”

He described the amount of drugs seized as ‘substantial’ and took the defendant’s previous supply conviction and the fact he was on licence at the time to be aggravating features.

“What you need to understand is that class A drug addiction causes untold misery. It leads to exploitation and it’s at the root cause of a large amount of violent and acquisitive offending. Heroin is an addictive drug that blights lives and communities.”

The judge jailed him for four and a half years, half of which he can expect to serve in prison and half on licence in the community. Recorder Falk also warned Golding that if he was caught supplying drugs again it would count as a third strike and he would be eligible for a minimum seven year prison term.

A spokesman for Worcester Proactive CID said: "Responding to intelligence officers from the roads policing team stopped a vehicle travelling from Liverpool that was carrying 250g (1/4kg) of heroin.

"This is significant recovery of drugs that have been removed from circulation with a street value of £25,000. This demonstrates our ability to target those who are involved in the wholesale transportation and supply of controlled drugs."