A TEENAGE drug dealer has been jailed after he was caught red handed in the middle of a deal in Basildon.

Shaun Richards was caught by Essex Police's Operation Raptor team in Basildon over the summer during a drug deal in a parked car.

The 19-year-old was seated in the back of a blue Mazda Demio in a communal car park off Long Riding at around 9.15am on June 28.

The Op Raptor officers had been carrying out extra patrols in the town to act as a deterrent to drug crimes in the area.

The officers suspected he was dealing cannabis from inside the vehicle.

A man and a woman were in the front in the driver and passenger seats of the car.

When officers approached Richards, he tried the hide the drugs, but he failed at this and was arrested.

Last week, Richards, of Stockwell Road, South West London, appeared at Basildon Crown Court where he admitted one count of possession of Class B drugs with intent to supply at the hearing.

He was sentenced to a total of two years in prison on October 18.

The Operation Raptor teams work 24 hours a day specifically targeting drug related crimes in Essex.

Between January and December 2017, the Raptor teams arrested 668 people suspected of being involved in drug and gang-related crime. They also secured prison sentences of 336 years and seized drugs including heroin, crack cocaine and cannabis with a street value of £684,530.

This month, police forces across the UK carried out a week of action to target those involved in county line networks.

Nationally the targeted activity, which was co-ordinated by the National County Lines Co-ordination Centre (NLCC), saw more than 700 arrests and almost half a million pounds worth of drugs seized.

In Essex, a total of 22 people were arrested and Class A drugs were seized including 20 grams of crack cocaine, 65 grams of heroin, 852 grams of cocaine and 266 cannabis plants in the week beginning October 14.

Investigating Officer PC Dan Olney said: “Members of the public should be reassured that we are working tirelessly day and night to target those who are trying to sell drugs on our streets and bring them to justice.”

If anyone suspects people dealing drugs they can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.