Police officers who searched an Ipswich town centre flat after a man they suspected of drug dealing ran off when they approached him found 14 bags of cocaine in the loft, a court has heard.

The officers had seen Algert Lama leave a bike at Suffolk Retail Park before walking along a side passage next to Miller’s fish and chip shop in London Road, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Five minutes later he reappeared on another bike and went to a bike rack near Halfords, where he was approached by police officers in a marked car.

Lama threw down the bike and ran towards The Range before climbing over a fence onto the river towpath.

He was chased and eventually detained by police officers who found bundles of money along the route.

When police officers searched a top-floor flat above the fish and chip shop they found a sales agreement for an iPad in Lama’s name and in the loft above the room they found a knife and 14 bags of cocaine in a larger bag which had his fingerprints on it.

Officers unlocked Lama’s phone and found messages relating to drug dealing using the postcode delivery method.

Lama, 22 and of London Road in Ipswich, has denied possessing cocaine with intent to supply on February 16 this year, being concerned in the supply of cocaine between January 1 and February 17 this year and possessing criminal property.

When he was interviewed by police he denied being the tenant of the flat where the drugs were found but admitted visiting the premises.

He claimed he’d run off when he was approached by police officers because he was scared.

The trial continues.