A COCAINE dealer’s plan to conceal his activities was exposed when it was found he had stashed the class A drug in children’s plastic eggs.

Craig Raine, whose last drugs offence was almost 20 years ago, is experiencing his first spell behind bars, following a police raid at his rented home in Durham, on August 2 last year.

Durham Crown Court heard officers recovered three amounts of cocaine, totalling 26.28 grammes, from a padlocked first floor bedroom at the terraced house in Gilesgate Moor.

Chris Baker, prosecuting, said 25 wraps containing the class A drug were found in two children’s plastic eggs, while a 20g lump of undivided cocaine was recovered from a wardrobe, and a further wrap was found under the base of a divan bed.

Mr Baker said an expert drugs officer estimated the “top end” value of the cocaine, in street sale terms, was about £3,640.

Raine, formerly of Teasdale Terrace, admitted possessing the cocaine with intent to supply, at a recent hearing.

Lorraine Mustard, mitigating, told the sentencing hearing: “He’s 42 and it’s been some time since he was last before a court.

“Within that period of time he has had a family, but, he now knows what is coming, in terms of a custodial sentence.

“He knows there’s no justification for this offence and understands it’s down to his poor decision making.”

Miss Mustard said after working for a number of years, the defendant lost his job and found it difficult to find a further full-time position.

It led to him borrowing £3,500, of which he managed to repay almost £2,000.

“But, he couldn’t pay back the entire sum in the timeframe expected of him and, so, fell into the situation he was in, when the police came to his house and seized that cocaine.

“It’s not his usual behaviour.”

Recorder Peter Makepeace said: “It’s for financial gain.”

Miss Mustard replied: “Not with a view to living the high life, but, simply to get him out of a desperate situation in which he found himself.

“He had pressure on him to try to settle his debts as soon as he was able to.

“But, he doesn’t have any sort of control over this operation.

“He simply made a foolish decision to try to help his family out as best as he could.”

Recorder Makepeace said accepted the crime had been motivated by financial hardship and jailed Raine for 30 months.