TRAFFIC police uncovered £35,000 worth of crack cocaine bound for the streets of Chippenham when they stopped a motorist for speeding on the motorway, a court heard.

Londoner Mark Warren had the stash of drugs hidden under the seats of his Vauxhall Carlton when he was pulled over on the M4, near Swindon.

Last week, the 32-year-old was jailed for five years for his part in the illicit drug trade which fuels crime across north west Wiltshire

Philip Warren, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court on Friday that police were routinely checking for speeding motorists on March 15 when they clocked the J-reg vehicle heading west at 110mph.

Officers went after the vehicle and stopped it. Warren was seen to be leaning over putting something under the seats and had put the central locking on as the officers got out of their car.

As they approached he unlocked the doors and told them his name was Davis, but when he was asked how it was spelt he couldn't tell them.

Mr Warren said: "He then told them his name was Warren and the police began to search the vehicle to get some proof of identity.

"What they found behind a partly lowered passenger seat was a bag containing a white substance thought to be drugs."

He said that when this was weighed it was found to be 489g but by the time the contents had dried out and were examined by forensic experts they came to 358g.

The expert said the drugs, with a street value of £35,800, were in two batches with purity levels of 61 per cent and 65 per cent.

Mr Warren said that officers also found a small package with 371mg of crack cocaine, worth about £40, and £260 in cash.

Mr Warren said the defendant made references to the people who had left the bag in the car saying: "They're going to shoot me."

He claimed he was going to visit someone in Chippenham and had stopped at Reading to get himself some crack cocaine.

He denied knowing about the drugs in the car saying they must have been left there by the people who had sold him his drugs.

Warren, of Romola Road, Tulse Hill, south London, originally pleaded not guilty.

On the morning of his trial he admitted possessing crack cocaine with intent to supply and possession of the small quantity of the drug.

John Burgess, defending, said that his client accepted he was a courier delivering the drugs from London for other dealers.

He said that at the time his client was an addict and earned a small amount of money by delivering the drugs.

He said Warren struggled to read and write but had worked a bit buying and selling cars in south London.

Since his arrest in March he said his client had been in custody and had used that time to get clean of drugs so that he could make a clean start when he was released.

Jailing him for five years Judge John McNaught said: "I treat you as a courier, someone not dealing directly with the public but someone helping to keep in circulation this crack cocaine.

"The serious aspect here is the quantity, a street value of more than £35,000.

"That is a high level and you went into it with your eyes open."