Man jailed after being caught wheeling suitcase full of cannabis through Birmingham New Street
A man caught wheeling a suitcase packed full of cannabis at a railway station has been jailed for two years and seven months.
Mahn Van Phan entered Birmingham New Street on the morning of May 11 last year and bought a rail ticket to Aberdeen with cash.
British Transport Police received a text report stating Phan was acting suspiciously and plain clothes officers attended the station.
The 41-year-old was found on one of the platforms and his luggage was searched after a brief conversation – with cannabis found.
Officers discovered vacuum-packed bags of the Class B drug in his suitcase and rucksack. The total weight was 7.4kg, police said.
Phan, of Sylvan Road in London, pleaded guilty to a possession of a Class B substance with intent to supply. He was sentenced to two years and seven months imprisonment by a judge at Birmingham Crown Court on January 6.
Detective Constable Mohit Behl, investigating officer in the case, said: “This was a particularly brazen attempt to move drugs across the UK using the rail network.
“We deploy specialist units, including plain clothes officers and drugs dogs, on the railway every day to tackle county lines activity. Anyone attempting to move commodities on the railway in this manner is extremely naïve – we will catch you and bring you to justice.
“I would like to thank rail staff at Birmingham New Street that day who reported Phan, and the courts for handing down an adequately strong jail term.
“If you spot anything that seems suspicious as you travel on the railway, please report it to us by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40.”
