Man caught with 30kg drugs haul worth around £3m in van at Staffordshire service station
A man has pleaded guilty to drugs offences after police caught him with a 30kg haul of class A drugs worth around £3m at a service station in Staffordshire.
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Stephen Lockley, 39, of Etal Close, Liverpool, admitted possession with intent to supply heroin and cocaine at Stafford Crown Court on Friday, August 23.
Officers from the Regional and Organised Crime Unit (ROCU) stopped a white transit van at Norton Canes Services on the M6 Toll, near Burntwood, just after 1pm on July 23 this year.
They found 24kg of heroin, with an estimated street value of £2.4m, and 5kg of cocaine, believed to worth £500,000, inside.
Detective Inspector David Simpson, who investigated, said: “We welcome this admission of guilt as Lockley was involved in a significant level of drug supply within our communities.
“This is a positive result for the team and illustrates how we are determined to identify dealers who bring harmful substances into circulation, gather evidence and put them before the courts.”
Lockley was remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced at Stafford Crown Court on Thursday, October 3.
A spokesperson for Staffordshire Police said: "We’re continuing to proactively target serious and organised crime across Staffordshire, working with ROCU as part of Operation Target.
"More than 1,000 people have been arrested on suspicion of drug and weapon offences in the county since the crackdown was launched last May."
