Drug dealer caught with cocaine hidden in roll-on deodorant jailed
PC Aris Sahin and a colleague were out on a proactive patrol in the town on 9 July when they spotted a car acting suspiciously
Last updated 17th Aug 2026
A drug-dealer who tried to hide cocaine in a roll-on deodorant has been jailed for three years after he was arrested by Braintree neighbourhood policing officers.
PC Aris Sahin and a colleague were out on a proactive patrol in the town on 9 July when they spotted a car acting suspiciously.
They stopped it in Godlings Way and questioned the two men inside, detaining the driver, 26-year-old Cristian Mihai, 26, and his passenger while they searched the vehicle.
After, officers found 15 wraps of cocaine in a bag of shopping - hidden inside a roll-on deodorant – they arrested Mihai, who was subsequently charged with possession of cocaine with intent to supply.
They also recovered £180 cash and a phone with messages which indicated drug dealing was taking place.
Mihai, of Scotts Walk, Chelmsford, admitted the offence when he appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court on 10 August.
After the case, PC Sahin explained it was obvious the driver and the passenger didn’t know each other and that the passenger was a prospective buyer.
He says:
“Neighbourhood policing officers regularly patrol Braintree, Witham, Halstead and other areas of the district, looking out for signs of drug dealing.
“Mihai and his passenger were obviously uneasy with our presence and so we had grounds to detain them and search the car to see if our suspicions were correct. Which they were.
“Whether you deny having drugs or not, if police have reasonable grounds for suspicion, we can detain you and search for evidence – you and your vehicle.
“If we do find drugs, then you will be in a whole world of trouble, as Mihai found out when the court jailed him for three years.
“A word of warning, if we intervene in a drugs deal which has already taken place, then the ‘customer’ could be arrested too. Ask yourself if it’s worth the risk for a few lines of cocaine to get a criminal record and ruin your future work prospects.”
As well as a three-year jail term, the court also made orders for the forfeiture of the £180 cash and the mobile phone and for the forfeiture and destruction of the cocaine. Mihai was also ordered to pay a £228 surcharge.