Man arrested on M6 with 11 kilograms of cocaine jailed for over 3 years
A 39-year-old man has received a prison sentence for drugs possession with intent to supply after being stopped by police
Last updated 21st Feb 2026
Mark McAvoy, 39, from Paisley, has been sentenced to 44 months in prison after being found with substantial quantities of cocaine and heroin in his car while driving along the M6 in Cumbria.
McAvoy was stopped by police between junctions 39 and 40 on 31st December 2025 while travelling in a Vauxhall Insignia.
During their search of the vehicle, officers discovered a cardboard box containing 10 wrapped 'bricks' of cocaine in the boot.
Each cocaine brick weighed between 1.1 and 1.2 kilograms, and additional bags of suspected cocaine were recovered, totaling over 11 and a half kilograms.
Authorities also recovered 37 grams of heroin.
McAvoy was charged with possession of Class A drugs for both cocaine and heroin and admitted to the offences at Carlisle Crown Court on 19th February.
Detective Constable Hugh Poward commented on the case, stating "This is the latest example of our officers stopping a vehicle travelling through the county and uncovering evidence of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs offences.
"This stop resulted in a significant amount of drugs being recovered and a prison sentence being handed down by the courts.
"We have officers on our county’s roads 24/7, 365 days a year on the lookout for people involved in the supply of drugs."