A MAN has been charged with drugs offences after officers stopped a vehicle in Benfleet.

A white Mercedes was stopped in London Road at around 1.45am on Thursday and drugs worth tens of thousands of pounds and three mobile phones were discovered inside.

Officers subsequently searched addresses in Southend and Lambeth and seized drugs, thousands of pounds in cash, and mobile phones.

Marco Lincoln, 36, of Vassall Road, London, has been charged with two counts of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs.

He appeared at Southend Magistrates’ Court on Friday and has been remanded in custody to appear at Basildon Crown Court on March 1.