A cocaine dealer who imported drugs concealed with hair extension products has been jailed for eight-and-a-half years.

Chuba Ihezue, 34, was arrested after UK border chiefs intercepted the suspicious 13lb parcel containing cannabis mixed with hair products sent from Nigeria.

Police then found a white powder used to mix illegal drugs after raiding his home in Verney Road, Dagenham.

Jobless Ihezue denied possessing a class A drug, namely cocaine, with intent to supply and fraudulently evading a prohibited class B drug but was jailed at Snaresbrook Crown Court yesterday.

A Met spokesman said: “When Barking and Dagenham Police were alerted by the UK Border Agency about a package containing 6kg of cannabis, an operation was organised to perform a ‘controlled delivery’ of the parcel to the addressee.

“The package, sent from Nigeria, was intercepted by the UKBA and deemed suspicious. When the package was examined it was found to contain cannabis and ‘hair extension’ products.”

Ihezue was given six-and-a-half years for possessing cocaine with intent to supply and two years for the class B charge after a trial.