A drug dealer, who has already been jailed after being found with £12,000 worth of drugs, has been ordered to pay back more than £15,000 of his criminal earnings.

Marco Lincoln, 36, was made the subject of a confiscation order under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Following a hearing at Basildon Crown Court Lincoln of Vassall Road, Lambeth was ordered to pay £15,575 of his criminal earnings back to the state.

He has three months to make the payment.

The court heard Lincoln was jailed for five-years eight months in March this year after pleading guilty to two counts of possession with intent to supply a Class A drug.

Lincoln was stopped in a white Mercedes A Class in London Road, South Benfleet at around 1.45am on Thursday, January 31.

When officers searched his vehicle they found a large amount of Class A drugs, including 192 wraps of heroin and 390 wraps of crack cocaine.

Three mobile phones were also seized.

Lincoln was found to be an active dealer for the “Troy” drug dealing county line.

Following the stop, searches were carried out an address in Lambeth where officers found items including a small amount of cannabis and a four-figure sum of cash.

Following the POCA hearing, a spokesperson for Essex Police’s South Operation Raptor team, said: “It’s time that people realise that firstly they cannot come to our county to deal drugs.

"If they do Operation Raptor will be waiting to arrest them, charge them and lock them up.

“And, we won’t stop at locking people up but we will also seek to take back the proceeds of people’s criminal exploits.

“Not only we will lock up people dealing drugs but we will seek to take every criminal penny from them to ensure there is no profit from their crime.”

Lincoln was made the subject of the financial confiscation order following a hearing at Basildon Crown Court on Thursday 10 October.

Essex Police set up Operation Raptor teams in the North, South and West of the county to tackle drug and gang-related crime.

If you have information about drug and gang-related crime in your community contact Essex Police on 101 or Crimestoppers 100% anonymously on 0800 555 111.