A YOUNG man who was spending too much on expensive cars he could not afford was caught transporting three kilos of cannabis along the M6.

Mohammud Haque, 20, was caught at 4.10am on February 20 near to Southwaite when patrolling police officers were alerted by reports of a person driving a BMW car “erratically” northwards on the motorway.

At Carlisle Crown Court, he admitted possessing the class B drug with intent to supply.

Prosecutor Brendan Burke said that after he was stopped Haque gave the officers his name and said he was on his way to Stirling in Scotland to collect documents linked to a chauffeuring business he intended to start.

Police decided to search the car.

In the boot, in the space that normally houses the spare tyre, the officers found a box, inside which were six half kilo packages of cannabis, with a potential street value of up to £30,000.

The court heard that Haque had no previous offending history, other than a caution for possessing an air weapon. The prosecution accepted that the defendant was acting as a courier.

Janet Ironfield, defending, said the defendant had no involvement in hiding or packaging the drugs. His only role was to convey the drugs from London where he lives to a location in Scotland.

The barrister said: “His motivation was to alleviate his financial situation, he being a user of cannabis and a young man who had got himself into debts by… financing a series of vehicles which he could not genuinely afford.

“The defendant was easy prey for those who attempted to persuade him to convey their drugs from the south to the north.”

Haque had involved himself in “unsatisfactory” relationship.

He now worked as a “luxury concierge,” with the task of finding accommodation and transport for celebrities. He hopes one day to set up his own business doing similar work as that of the company he works for.

Referring to the cannabis use, Miss Ironfield said Haque used the drug as a form of “pain relief” for a medical issue he had.

“He simply did not think through the consequences of what he was doing,” added Miss Ironfield.

Judge Michael Fanning told the defendant, of Rowntree Close, Camden, London, that his offending amounted to “drug dealing.”

But he referred also to research which confirms that showed men younger than their mid-20s are more likely to act impulsively.

“They are less likely to evaluate risk,” said Judge Fanning.

Though it was accepted Haque was acting as a courier only, that role was a “vital” part of the drug dealing trade. But the defendant was intelligent and highly thought of.

“You were fixated on acquiring vehicles you could not afford,” continued the judge. He imposed a 12-month community order, with 150 hours of unpaid work in the community. Judge Fanning added: "You must not think that drug dealing is an easy option.

"Ultimately, you will come a cropper."