A drug dealer who was caught in Ipswich with 43 wraps of crack cocaine “between his buttocks” has been jailed for more than three years.

After police received information about drug dealing in the area, Errol Allen, 58, was seen by an officer on Bramford Road, Ipswich, around 11.45am on July 24, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

The officer positioned himself so he couldn’t be seen and watched as Allen approached a bus shelter containing a number of people and took something out of his mouth, Lori Tucker, prosecuting, said.

The bus shelter was described as a “hive of activity” by the officer and Allen was seen to hand over items.

He was then arrested, taken to the police station and strip searched, the court heard.

“During the strip search, officers recovered a package from between his buttocks,” Ms Tucker said.

The package was examined and found to contain 43 wraps of crack cocaine, the court heard.

The court heard Allen also was found to have £255 in cash on his person and a further £500 was discovered under a t-shirt press at his home following a search by police.

Allen, who appeared via video link from prison, pleaded guilty to possession of class A drugs with intent to supply at Ipswich Crown Court on Friday.

He previously admitted a charge of possessing cannabis.

The court heard that Allen had 29 previous convictions for 46 offences.

Shade Abiodun, defending, said Allen’s involvement with drugs related to the people he was living with.

She said: “He is very remorseful.

“He told me he is happy he is in custody because it keeps him away from the people he was associating with in Ipswich.”

Judge Emma Peters sentenced Allen to 40 months’ imprisonment for possessing cocaine with intent to supply and one month for possessing cannabis to run concurrently.

The judge said Allen was someone with “a very long history before the courts”.

Judge Peters told Allen: “Having been a drug user yourself, you know that drugs cause a great deal of misery to people.

“Drugs are a miserable trade.

“I do hope that when you emerge from prison, you can find a law-abiding way of life.”