A drug dealer has been sentenced to ten years and three months in prison after police discovered nearly five kilograms of cocaine, over £30,000 in cash, and an arsenal of weapons hidden in a secret safe beneath the floorboards of his Sevenoaks home.
Jay Harris, 29, from an address near Knockholt was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court on October 21, 2025, after pleading guilty to multiple charges including possession with intent to supply cocaine, possessing a firearm, and possessing criminal property.
The operation began on December 7, 2024, when officers arrived at Harris’s home with a search warrant. Harris evaded initial capture by fleeing through his rear garden, prompting a multi-force pursuit. While teams were deployed to track the suspect, officers conducted a thorough search of the property. Their search led to a bedroom, where they discovered a sophisticated hide cut into the floorboards, concealed by a flap in the carpet. Inside the safe, officers recovered a significant haul:
- Nearly five kilograms of cocaine
- Over £30,000 in cash
- A loaded firearm with six rounds of ammunition
- Assorted weaponry, including air weapons, knives, and a knuckleduster
- A mobile phone and detailed “stock taking” notes related to the drug business.
Following extensive enquiries, Kent detectives, with assistance from Devon and Cornwall Police, located Harris just 36 hours after his escape. He was apprehended at a petrol station in Devon. At the time of his arrest, Harris was carrying a holdall containing £2,000 in cash, multiple mobile devices, SIM cards, and toiletries—evidence that police say indicated he planned to remain at large for a significant period.
Harris was arrested, returned to Kent, and charged with drugs and weapons offences. Although he initially denied involvement, he eventually pleaded guilty to the charges, leading to his sentence earlier this week.
Investigating officer, DC Lottie Bishop, said:
‘Harris initially maintained his innocence, claiming that he acted under duress with surmounting drug debts. A thorough investigation by Kent Police detectives uncovered a raft of evidence, including forensics, that proved his involvement as a key player in a drugs ring supplying class As to Kent and London.’