Man jailed for cocaine haul in Stoke-on-Trent
£1.8 million worth of drugs discovered in van
A 47-year-old man from Merseyside has been sentenced to over five years in prison after authorities found an estimated £1.8 million worth of cocaine in the back of his van.
Officers from the road crime team intercepted Wesley Hughes on the A500 in Stoke-on-Trent in February, acting on intelligence reports.
When they stopped Hughes' Ford Transit, police discovered a plastic bag containing 12 one-kilogram bricks of cocaine, with an estimated value between £1.4 million and £1.8 million.
Initially, Hughes claimed during interviews that he was unaware of how the drugs ended up in his van. However, he later pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply cocaine.
He was sentenced to five years and ten months in Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on 21st August and ordered to pay a surcharge of £228.
Superintendent Dan Ison explained the significance of the operation: “This conviction follows a regional organised crime unit (ROCU) investigation into the supply of class A drugs and demonstrates the important role we play in tackling serious and organised crime across the region."
The operation not only prevented the drugs from reaching communities but also highlighted the determination of the ROCU to disrupt organised crime networks.
“ROCU will continue to use intelligence, specialist resources and collaborative working to identify and disrupt organised crime groups and bring those responsible to justice,” Superintendent Ison added.