TWO men have been jailed for trying to make a crack cocaine and heroin deal in South Norwood last year.
Patrick Mclean, 27, and O'Shane Anthony Gayle, 21, were sentenced on Wednesday (June 18) at Croydon Crown Court to three years and nine months imprisonment each for their part in the failed drugs deal in Portland Road last May.
Mclean, of Rupert Gardens, Brixton, and Gayle, of Preston Road, Upper Norwood, were spotted by police officers on May 16 at the junction of Portland Road and Harrington Road.
When they saw the police vehicle, the pair walked away before officers stopped and approached them.
As they approached the men, they saw Mclean drop a bag on the floor and run off. Officers chased and detained both men a short distance away.
The bag Mclean dropped contained 25 rocks of crack cocaine and heroin inside, as well as a small amount of cannabis.
Both men were arrested and when they were searched in police custody, a further six rocks of crack cocaine were found on Gayle.
Both men were eventually charged in September 2013 with possession with intent to supply class A drugs as well as possession of cannabis. They were convicted last Tuesday (June 17) and sentenced the following day.
Gayle, who is a foreign national, is due to be deported back to Jamaica once he has served his sentence.
Detective Constable Kieran Given, of Croydon Metropolitan Police Service's Crime Squad, said: "Drug dealers cause great harm to local communities and we will target any individuals who are involved in the supply of drugs in Croydon.
"We'll continue to work with local communities and where we receive any intelligence about drugs in a particular area, then we will target our efforts to identify and arrest those involved."
