A MOTORIST pulled over on the M4 was found to have thousands of tranquilisers in the back of his car.

Ricky Wharton was heading home to South Wales when he was stopped by motorway cops on the outskirts of Swindon on suspicion of motoring offences.

But when they looked in the back of his black BMW they saw he had 7,000 tablets of diazepam, also known as Valium.

Hannah Squire, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court how the 32-year-old was pulled over on Tuesday, April 19, last year.

She said he initially gave false details to officers and when they had a look inside the vehicle they found 25 packs of the drugs.

Inside each pack she said was 10 boxes each containing 28 of the pills, which are a class C drug.

He was taken to Gablecross Police Station where he was also found to have £2,332 on him, which he accepted came from criminal activity.

When he was questioned he said that he had bought the drugs online from India and initially claimed that he had them for his own use.

Miss Squire said that when his bank account was looked at during the previous 18 months there was more than £20,000 unaccounted for.

Wharton, of Capel Hendre, Dyfed, pleaded guilty to possessing drugs with intent to supply and having criminal property.

Clare Fear, defending, said her client had initially denied the matter but has changed his plea after being jailed in Wales for assault.

She said her client had started using it about seven years ago after the loss of his child.

Jailing him for six months, Recorder Robert Pawson said: "You have late in the day, but nonetheless you have, come to your senses and pleaded guilty to two matters which are serious."