A man caught transporting a ready-to-go cannabis farm in a van near Keswick has been given a suspended prison sentence.
Police in an unmarked vehicle were travelling westbound on the A66 near Scales, on January 31 when they spotted a Peugeot Boxer.
One constable conducted a national computer check which showed the van was registered to one person based in Southend-on-Sea although insurance had been sought for someone else for three days.
Because of its distance from Essex the van was stopped. Fabian Hamzai, 29, was the driver and the person newly insured.
Carlisle Crown Court heard Hamzai initially proved a little evasive when giving a destination of either Carlisle or Cockermouth before switching to Whitehaven.
Hamzai became nervous on being told the vehicle would be searched. In boxes and bags, the officers found all the parts needed to set up a cannabis farm.
These included desk fans, fertiliser, pesticides and pots and 104 juvenile cannabis plants.
A police drug expert concluded the yield of that crop at full maturity could range from 5.7kg to a maximum of 21kg, the latter potentially being worth £200,000 if sold on the street.
When brought to court Hamzai — a man of previous good character — admitted being concerned in cannabis production.
His guilty plea was entered on the basis that he had run up a drug debt which he was put under pressure to clear by transporting the cargo.
A defence barrister told the court Hamzai had attempted to pay back the money financially but was told that in order to remove the debt he would need to carry out this illegal errand. He was acting in a limited function under direction.
A probation service pre-sentence report concluded he had shown remorse for, and understanding of, his behaviour, and the consequences of such. He was currently working as a waiter, the sole breadwinner in his household and no longer used cannabis.
Judge Michael Fanning suspended a 20-month prison sentence for two years, ordering Hamzai, of Hamlet Court Road, Westcliff-on-Sea, Southend-on-Sea, to complete a rehabilitation requirement and 150 hours’ unpaid work.
