An armed drug dealer from Raynes Park has been jailed after being arrested on a train following an anonymous tip-off.

Police were tipped-off just before midnight on July 26, 2016, that two people carrying a gun and a large amount of drugs were travelling on a train from Birmingham to London.

Tyrel Thompson, 20, of Kingston Road, Raynes Park, and his friend Kareem Dawkins, of St Saviour’s Road, Croydon were stopped by police on a train in Northampton that evening.

Dawkins, who was 17-years-old at the time, was carrying a sawn-off shotgun, ammunition and a kilogram of cannabis - worth £4,000 - in his bag.

A search of Thompson’s rented room in Raynes Park uncovered six mobile phones, 100 small snap bags and a set of scales.

At Dawkins’ home in Croydon, police discovered seven mobile phones containing texts which indicated he was involved in drug dealing.

Both men were charged with possession of a sawn-off shotgun and possession with intent to supply cannabis on July 27. Although Dawkins pleaded guilty to the charges, Thompson denied any involvement.

Thompson was found guilty following a trial at Northampton Crown Court. He was sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison on Tuesday, March 14.

A sentencing date has not yet been set for Dawkins, who turned 18 last month.

Detective Constable Simon Courtney said: “We know Dawkins has links to the Birmingham area and we suspect, from the timing of the tip-off, they had come to the Midlands to collect the gun and drugs before heading back to London.

“We are committed to working closely with other forces and the National Crime Agency to crackdown on dealers who use the rail network to transport drugs across the country, making sure we have the right people in the right place to disrupt their activities.

“We are satisfied with the sentence handed to Thompson, which reflects the serious nature of the crime, and that a dangerous weapon and drugs have been taken off the streets, preventing them from causing misery and harm in our communities.”