A CANNABIS dealer was caught after postal staff at Whitehaven’s Sorting Office noticed the drug's distinctive smell coming from a 'special delivery' parcel.
The parcel – which contained cannabis in four vacuum packed bags – had been addressed to 47-year-old David Telford at his Greenbank Avenue home in the town.
The discovery led to police being alerted and a subsequent raid on the defendant’s home.
Telford later entered guilty pleas to four offences: being concerned in supplying the Class B drug cannabis; possessing cocaine, possessing cannabis, and possessing cannabinol.
Prosecutor Emily Wilson told Carlisle Crown Court how the police gathered the evidence they needed.
The suspicious package was identified on November 3, 2023, when a staff member working with special delivery parcels noticed the strong smell emanating from the parcel.
The sorting office manager was alerted and contacted the police. They instructed the manager to not allow Telford to take away the parcel, though he did turn up at the office to ask for it.
The court heard that there was a second parcel which arrived at the office for Telford, and it was arranged for Post Office staff to deliver this to the defendant.
On December 2, 2023, police raided the defendant’s home.
The officers seized a raft of incriminating evidence. This included almost £2,000 in cash, which was found hidden under a duvet; and various amounts of cannabis, worth a total of £8,555.
In the delivered parcel that first raised suspicions, there was 984g of cannabis, packaged in a manner suggestive of “wholesale” supply.
Police also recovered 7.38g of “personal use” cocaine and 84 “cannabis sweets,” potentially intended for onward supply.
When the police analysed the defendant’s mobile phone, they found yet more evidence of his supply activities. One message read: “Hello pal... You got any green there?”
Another message appears to refer to the delayed parcel that triggered the investigation. It said: “Stuff didn’t even land. It’s in Carlisle.”
Telford’s previous convictions include three for possession of class A and B drugs.
Andrew Gurney, defending, said the background featured Telford suffering from mental health challenges and being an habitual user of cannabis.
To deal with the debt he accrued, he initially helped courier the drug and then moved on to selling the drug to his friends and then indulging in “a bit of street dealing.”
“He has expressed remorse,” said Mr Gurney.
Judge Michael Fanning imposed a 12-month community order which will include a six-month mental health treatment requirement and ten rehabilitation activity days with the Probation Service.