A MAN has been jailed after police raided his home on Christmas Eve and found a stash of cocaine with a street value of up to £60,000.

Hove Crown Court was told that police forced their way into the home of Tim Mulita, 46, and discovered the drugs across several rooms.

Orlando Gibbons, prosecuting, told the court on April 4 that police found 1.729kg of cocaine with a purity level between 69 per cent and 83 per cent.

“The police found a quantity of cocaine in the kitchen and the living room,” said Mr Gibbons, adding the officers also found scales with residue of cocaine.

“The wholesale value [of the cocaine] is estimated at between £44,500 and £60,000.”

Mulita pleaded guilty to possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply and a further charge of possessing criminal property, namely £1,000 in cash.

The court heard he had previously been convicted of possessing cocaine with an intent to supply.

The court was also told that Mulita, of Lennox Mews, Chapel Road, Worthing, who was born in Kosovo, had turned to drugs after his gambling had spiralled out of control.

He was sentenced to five years and eight months for possession with an intent to supply and one month for possessing criminal property, the sentences to run concurrently.