A man caught in a car travelling on the M6 which contained £250,000-worth of cannabis has been jailed for a year.
Police stopped a black Mercedes A-class between Shap and Tebay at around 2.30pm on November 10 last year.
This was because an officer recognised its distinctive number plate from previous patrols and knew it had made frequent short journeys to Scotland.
As it was stopped, 32-year-old passenger Hoang Khanh exited through the front nearside door and ran away. He was detained a short time later.
Carlisle Crown Court heard today that when the vehicle was searched, 23.5 kilos of vacuum-packed cannabis was found on the back seat of the vehicle and in the boot.
When interviewed, Khanh said he didn’t know there was any of the class B controlled drug in the car, claiming he ran away because he had not reported to the authorities following his release from a previous prison sentence.
When later brought to court, he admitted possession of the drug with intent to supply. This was on the basis that he had found it difficult to obtain employment or benefits and believed he was travelling to Scotland to transport items belonging to a man who indicated he could find him work.
Having undertaken the journey, he accepted becoming aware bags given to him contained cannabis, but felt he had no choice to continue with the plan and loaded them into the vehicle.
He did not expect financial reward but hoped there may be an offer of employment in Scotland. Khanh, of no fixed address, was sentenced today by a judge who heard he was handed a nine-month jail term in September 2020, for a similar offence.
This was uncovered by British Transport Police who stopped three males at Wolverhampton train station, and recovered £57,00 worth of the drug. For the Cumbria crime, Khanh was given an immediate 12-month jail term by Recorder Paul Hodgkinson.
