A significant drug trafficking operation was uncovered on a major English motorway, resulting in the seizure of cannabis with an estimated value exceeding £11 million.
Three individuals were apprehended while transporting a substantial quantity of the Class B drug through Oxfordshire.
The men were stopped by officers on the M40 at junction nine near Bicester on May 8.
They were each operating separate vehicles containing numerous boxes of vacuum-packed cannabis, with the drugs destined for transport from Leicester to the London area.
A total of 1,428 kilograms of cannabis was recovered during the operation, with an estimated street value of £11,130,000.
The three men, who were acquainted with one another, were subsequently arrested and charged.
During proceedings at Oxford Crown Court, each defendant entered guilty pleas to charges of possession with intent to supply cannabis.
All three maintained that they had been unaware of the full nature of the cargo they were carrying at the time of their arrest.
Sentencing took place on Monday, September 14.
The court was informed that one defendant, a 27-year-old from St Christopher Road in Uxbridge, had previously suffered a stabbing incident at Notting Hill Carnival in 2024.
His legal representative described him as merely a courier and submitted that he had demonstrated genuine remorse.
The court heard that he had no knowledge of the total quantity involved and had made no attempt to conceal his involvement.
A second defendant, aged 26 and residing in Townson Way, Northolt, was said to have been recruited with a promised payment of £5,000.
His counsel submitted that his participation arose from naivety and that he had since expressed deep regret.
The defendant was described as a man of good character who had sought what he believed would be a rapid solution to financial difficulties and had found the experience of detention particularly challenging.
The third man, a 32-year-old from Long Furlong Drive in Slough, was represented by separate legal counsel who informed the court that he harboured profound regret for choosing an incorrect path.
He acknowledged awareness that something significant was occurring due to the number of packages loaded into his vehicle, accepting that his actions had been seriously misguided.
Presiding over the case, Judge Michael Roques imposed a sentence of 60 months’ imprisonment on each defendant.
The judge ordered the confiscation and destruction of the seized drugs, together with cash and mobile phones recovered from the scene.
The judge observed that it was regrettable that intelligent and capable young men had become involved in criminality of such magnitude.
Each defendant had been fully cognisant that they were conveying a very substantial quantity of cannabis, had occupied meaningful roles in the operation, and had been entrusted with a highly valuable commodity.
The court noted that none of the men had previously experienced detention.
The prosecution explained that the scale of the operation necessitated the use of large vehicles, and each defendant had been selected for their reliability in moving a significant quantity of cannabis across county boundaries.