TWO men were arrested for drugs offences after police stopped a car which flagged up on their computers as having no insurance.

The Vauxhall Vectra triggered an alert to Essex Police after it was tracked by an automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) camera on Canvey.

When officers stopped the car in Link Road at about 12.35pm on Saturday, June 25, they also found 38 wraps of class A drugs inside.

The haul of drugs was worth £380 as one wrap is usually sold for £10 on the streets.

Two men in the car were arrested and taken to a police station for questioning.

They have since been released on police bail pending further enquiries.

Insp Lee Devall, from Essex Police's operational support group, praised the work of the officers.

He said: "Great ANPR stop in Canvey on uninsured car with two men arrested following search and discovery of 38 wraps of class A."

The seizure of the drugs comes less than a month after police found 170 cannabis plants, worth £68,000, after raiding a Canvey industrial estate.

Martin Tucker, town council mayor, said police needed to be more proactive at tracking down drug dealers.

He said: "They seem to have only found these drugs because it showed up on their cameras, it doesn't seem to have been because of their intelligence.

"It was a lucky break.

"I would like to see the police really concentrating properly on this area and finding out what is going on and executing drugs warrants.

"You can't rely on just getting lucky when it comes to drugs and drug dealing, which causes more crime in the community.

An Essex Police spokesman said: "Police acting on information stopped a Vauxhall Vectra in Link Road, Canvey, shortly after 12.35pm on Saturday, June 25.

"A 26-year-old man from Canvey was arrested on suspicion of possession of class A drugs with intent to supply, driving without insurance and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence.

"A 21-year-old man from Canvey was arrested on suspicion of possession of class A drugs with intent to supply.

"Both were released on bail until September 9, pending further enquiries."

Residents with information about drug dealing where they live can call Essex Police on 101.

Anyone who would rather not speak to police can pass information anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via the Crimestoppers website www.crimestoppers-uk.org