Cumbrian postman helps foil cannabis supply plot

A postman made a drugs bust and scuppered a supply plot after sniffing something suspicious in a package.

He held off delivering an item in Maryport after thinking he smelt cannabis inside it.

And his suspicions were proven right – with the package revealed to be a consignment of drugs that the recipient had ordered from a contact in London.

That man, 40-year-old Darren Scott, of Crosby Street, admitted two charges of possession and attempting to supply the drug.

Amanda Johnson, prosecuting at Carlisle Crown Court, said: “The postman could smell cannabis emanating from the parcel.

“It wasn’t delivered and a slip was put through the letterbox for collection from the parcel office.”

Miss Johnson said that when Scott turned up at the collection point and asked for his parcel he was told he could not collect it.

“He seemed nervous,” she added.

She said that the parcel contained almost 100g of cannabis in two heat-sealed bags.

One contained just over 5g of the drug and the other weighed 92g – with around five per cent of it female flowering tips.

Police raided Scott’s flat in March and officers found a number of drug-related items including a mobile phone, money bags and a cannabis grinder.

Miss Johnson said: “If sold in one gram deals the value of the parcel would be £970.

“When interviewed he said he was a heavy user of cannabis, smoking 15 joints a day.”

She added that Scott intended to share the contents of the parcel with friends who would visit his flat when they knew it had been delivered.

The court heard that he had got the cannabis from a London contact known only as “Big Door”.

Marion Weir, mitigating, said Scott was receiving Employment and Support Allowance but was actively seeking employment and added: “He’s anxious to get back to work.”

She said that he suffered from a “low mood” and the “structured life” that work could offer was a way of tackling his condition.

Judge Peter Hughes said: “Your record indicates that you’ve had a very significant problem with addiction to alcohol and addiction to drugs.

“On this occasion I have to sentence you for arranging the delivery of a consignment of cannabis worth on the street just short of £1,000.

“I accept that you wouldn’t have gone out on the street dealing but you would have distributed amongst people like yourself.”

Scott was sentenced to a 12-month community order, under the supervision of the probation service, and ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work.

The judge also ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the drugs and associated paraphernalia.

http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/cumbrian-postman-helps-foil-cannabis-supply-plot-1.1170878 27/10/2014