Police caught a drug dealer after a taxi driver reported a strong smell of cannabis coming from a suitcase.
Hung Nguyen was travelling by train from Warrington to London when he was stopped by officers.
He had taken a taxi to Warrington Bank Quay station along with two friends on February 15, 2020, but the driver then contacted the police after noticing the luggage smelled of skunk.
Nguyen boarded a train bound for London Euston and officers met it at Wolverhampton just before midday, reports the LiverpoolEcho.
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He was taken off the train at Birmingham New Street and searched under Section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act.
Police found 15 kilograms of cannabis sealed in carrier bags inside Nguyen’s suitcase, and he was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply and taken for questioning.
Nguyen initially claimed he was 16-years-old, but police found a video on his phone showing him celebrating his 25th birthday with his family.
The video also showed him being presented with a cake decorated with messages that read, “happy birthday Can” – short for cannabis – and “25-years-old”.
Nguyen, 26, of no fixed address, appeared at Warwickshire Crown Court on September 21 where he pleaded not guilty to possession with intent to supply drugs of Class B status. He was found guilty at trial and a judge sentenced him to 32 months behind bars on November 26.
Detective Constable Mark Burgess said: “This was a brazen and frankly ludicrous attempt to move a large quantity of drugs across the country via the rail network.
“I’m especially thankful to the taxi driver for reporting the incident and providing us with the opportunity to catch Nguyen red-handed.
“The public and those that work on and around the railway play an integral role in stopping offenders – they’re our eyes and ears.
“I urge anyone that’s on the railway and spots something that doesn’t seem right to report it to us by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40.
“No report is too small or too trivial – we will always take you seriously.”
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