The Larnaca criminal court jailed a 39-year-old man for nine years on Wednesday after he was found guilty of trafficking one kilo of cocaine.

The man was arrested in June, after trying to escape a check by drug squad officers in the Aradippou area where he was driving his car.

In his effort, the defendant crashed into three police vehicles but eventually his car came to a halt.

He got out and assaulted the officers still trying to escape arrest, police said.

The cocaine was found in his car during a subsequent search.