Van driving £1.5m cocaine courier was stopped on M6 Cumbria

Eagle-eyed officers spotted the Peugeot vehicle being driven along the M6 by 39-year-old Paul May on February 6.

It was pulled over at the Todhills testing centre north of Carlisle where the headlight defect and bald tyre were seen during a detailed examination.

Recorder Julian Shaw said during a sentencing hearing at Carlisle Crown Court:  “That gave rise to a search of the vehicle. They found it had been adapted to provide, as it were, a false floor behind which were 15 bags containing 1kg each of cocaine.”

Had the drugs stash been adulterated to increase its quantity for onward sale to street users in 1g deals, it could potentially have been worth around £1.5 million in total.

May, of Mill Lane, Southport, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to supply.

This was on the basis that he was told where to collect the van, where to take it and, once he had arrived at a given destination, where to deliver the cargo.

May — father to a teenage daughter — was due to have been paid £4,000 for making the trip. This amount, the court heard, would have been offset in relation to drug and gambling debts he had accrued.

“Because you were in such debt, you say you were fearful of reprisals , and to that extent felt obliged, under pressure, to carry out this extremely serious criminal act,” Recorder Shaw said to May.

“You must have known that it was cocaine although I accept by the basis of plea you weren’t fully aware of the amount you were transporting.”

But the judge concluded: “Being paid £4,000 to drive drugs up and down the M6 motorway, it would not take a leap of imagination on your part, Mr May, that there was a significant amount of drugs on board.”

The court heard May was a man with difficulties but was otherwise highly respected and regarded.

In addition to the prison sentence, Recorder Shaw directed that the cocaine be forfeited and destroyed, and that the van be confiscated.