A man from Manchester has today (Dec 20) been sentenced to three years six months at Preston Crown Court for trafficking Class A and B drugs into Cumbria.
David Hughes, 39, of Arrowfield Road, Manchester was sentenced for
- Possession of a Class A drug (cocaine) with intent to supply
- Possession of a Class A drug (MDMA) with intent to supply
- Possession of a Class B drug (cannabis) with intent to supply
The sentence follows a joint operation with Lancashire Police where Hughes was stopped and arrested by officers on the M6 near Nether Kellet on Wednesday 27th October.
Officers searched the vehicle under the misuse of drugs act and located five kilograms of cannabis worth £15,000 to £25,000 in the boot, as well as £12,500 worth of cocaine and £1,000 worth of MDMA tablets hidden in voids within the structure of the car.
The total value of drugs located in the BMW was to the value of £28,000 to £38,000.
The investigation subsequently proved Hughes played a significant role in a sophisticated drug-trafficking operation, with over seventeen journeys made from Manchester to south Cumbria between June and October 2022 in order to supply drugs into Cumbria.
A spokesperson from south Cumbria’s Community Serious and Organised Crime (CSOC) unit said: “Class A drug trafficking goes hand-in-hand with misery and exploitation throughout the supply chain and has a significant societal impact.
“We welcome today’s sentence which shows that organised crime operating into Cumbria will be identified, prioritised, and taken out.
“This stop was achieved through partnership working with Lancashire Police Roads Policing Unit, with whom we work closely to target roads-enabled criminality.”
