A 22-YEAR-OLD Lye street drug dealer caught with 23 wraps of cocaine hidden inside a yellow plastic egg has been jailed for three years.

Judge Martin Walsh at Wolverhampton Crown Court told Adnan Ajram: "Class A drugs ruin peoples lives and they blight communities."

He said Ajram was clearly involved in drug dealing to make money and he had a previous conviction for possessing controlled drugs.

Ajram was arrested after patrolling police spotted him acting suspiciously in Martley Drive, Lye, and when the officers opened the door of his Citroen car they smelled cannabis.

When he was searched Ajram was found in possession of £645 in cash while under the driver's seat of the car police found the plastic egg which contained cocaine with a street value up to £920.

Then, when his home in Careless Green was searched, officers recovered a set of digital scales and other drug dealing paraphernalia.

When he was interviewed at Brierley Hill Police Station drug user Ajram maintained the cocaine had been left in his car by his own dealer.

He said the scales were used to weigh cannabis he bought to make sure he had not been short changed and stressed the £645 was money he earned from three jobs - office work, delivery work and dishwashing.

Ajram denied possessing cocaine with intent to supply but he was found guilty after a trial.

He pleaded guilty to possessing a small amount of cannabis.

Caroline Haughey, defending, said he was now determined to put his life back onto the rails and she added: "He has demonstrated since his arrest an active desire to deal with the problems that caused his offending."

Miss Haughey said it was Ajram's goal to start his own body repair business, adding, "He no longer uses, takes or provides drugs."

She said he accepted he had been "grossly stupid" and he was full of shame for his actions.