Essex man jailed after £200,000 cannabis found in van

Officers from the Road Policing Unit spotted a white Mercedes Sprinter box van travelling southbound on the A1 at Norman Cross, Cambridgeshire, on March 2.

The vehicle was pulled over at the nearby DVSA weighbridge in Sawtry, where passenger Gjok Ndrevetaj, of Southend, told officers it was carrying commercial waste.

Gjok Ndrevetaj (Image: Cambridgeshire Constabulary)

However, when police checked the back of the van they discovered eight boxes containing cannabis with an estimated street value of up to £200,000.

Officers also found plant pots, soil, clippings and boxes for heating equipment, described by police as the remnants of a cannabis factory.

Ndrevetaj, 33, of Heygate Avenue, Southend, appeared at Huntingdon Law Courts on Tuesday (October 20), where he was sentenced to three years and four months in prison.

He had previously pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cannabis.

The discovery was made in the back of the van (Image: Cambridgeshire Constabulary)

Cannabis was uncovered (Image: Cambridgeshire Constabulary)

Detective Constable Natalia Bochnacka, who investigated the case, said: “This case highlights how a routine stop for an overweight vehicle can uncover much more serious criminality.

“The discovery of the cannabis alongside the remnants of a cannabis factory demonstrates the scale of the operation.

“We are committed to disrupting the supply of illegal drugs and bringing those responsible before the courts.”