A MOTORIST whose van was stopped by police as he drove south on the M6 near Penrith was transporting the remnants of an illegal cannabis crop worth almost £100,000, a court heard.

At Carlisle Crown Court, a judge jailed 30-year-old Elio Cepele for nine months after he pleaded guilty to being concerned in the production of the class B drug.

Prosecutor Gerard Rogerson outlined how the offence came to light on February 17 when police stopped the defendant’s van and and searched it, finding the remains of a huge cannabis crop.

This waste material was crammed into more than 100 bin bags, Mr Rogerson told the court. 

Making a calculation based on that information, police estimated that the van contained the waste material from a cannabis crop which when mature would have yielded the criminals involved £99,120.

“He was asked questions about his lifestyle and his financial status and his knowledge of the drugs,” said Mr Rogerson. “He was also asked about his movements that day; and asked why he was wearing a high-visibility jacket and a builder’s hat at the time of his arrest.

“He was also asked about previous journeys to Cumbria and about his involvement in growing cannabis. But he declined to answer any of those questions.”

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A man with no previous convictions in the UK, the defendant was likely to be deported back to his native Albania when he is released from his prison sentence, the court heard.

Andrew Gurney, defending, said what happened had been an “isolated incident.” The lawyer said the defendant had been asked to take on the role of ‘cleaner’ in the drugs operation for a fee of £200.

Thus he accepted his involvement was commercial.

“He is anxious to return home to Albania,” said Mr Gurney, pointing out that Cepele had experienced ill-health following a car accident. Mr Gurney added: “He wants to put this matter behind him. It’s a matter he is truly remorseful for.”

Judge Nicholas Barker said the defendant’s van had contained the “detritus” of a cannabis growing operation.

The judge pointed out that when asked for the pin number of his mobile phone the defendant had declined to help the police. That lack of cooperation was an aggravating factor in the offence.

The judge accepted that Cepele, who has no fixed address, had played a limited role in the drugs enterprise, removing the waste products.

“Nevertheless,” said the judge, “you were fully aware of the scale of the operation, given the number of cannabis plants and the value of the cannabis recovered in a number of the bags.”

The judge noted that there had been no fewer than 118 bin bags crammed with cannabis waste in the van, the contents including cropped plants, soil and growing nutrients.

The judge ruled that the defendant’s mobile phone and £550 in cash which he had on him when arrested will be forfeited.

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