Two men have been convicted of drug supply offences after officers located 9kg of cannabis in the boot of a vehicle.
Andrei Sarkov, 53, of Ipswich and Justas Liorancas, 29, also of Ipswich were convicted and sentenced for possession with intent to supply a Class B Drug, at Carlisle Crown Court on following a two-day trial. Sarkov was also sentenced for failing to appear at court.
The court heard how on 11 April 2025, officers stopped a vehicle on the M6 due to the manner of driving.
When speaking to the occupants, officers noticed a strong smell in the vehicle and therefore conducted a search.
They located three bin bags in the boot filled with cannabis, weighing 9kg in total with the potential to be sold for £90,000.
On Wednesday (18 Feb) Sarkov was jailed for 67 weeks and Liorancas received a suspended sentence.
A further man is due to be sentenced for his role in April.
The offences were investigated by Westmorland and Furness’s Community and Serious Organised Crime (CSOC) team as part of Operation Alliance - our wider ongoing response to protect the county against serious and organised crime.
A spokesperson said: “This case shows that Cumbria Police will use all powers available to us to stop offenders.
“Thanks to the officers who pulled over this vehicle, a large quantity of drugs has been seized and removed from the streets.
“We are committed to pursuing and disrupting those who choose to deal drugs.”