A DRUG dealer caught wheeling a suitcase packed full of cannabis through Birmingham's New Street Station has been jailed.
Mahn Van Phan was spotted acting suspiciously by staff as he strolled through the busy station in May last year.
They tipped off police and he was stopped by plain clothes officers from British Transport Police’s County Lines Taskforce.
The 41-year-old had bought a rail ticket to Aberdeen with cash.
BTP received a text report stating Phan was acting suspiciously, and plain clothes officers quickly attended the station and located him on one of the platforms.
Following a brief conversation, his luggage was searched, and officers discovered vacuum-packed bags of cannabis in his suitcase and rucksack.
The total weight of the cannabis Phan was taking to Aberdeen was 7.4kg.
The 41-year-old of Sylvan Road, London, pleaded guilty to possession of a Class B substance with intent to supply.
He was sentenced to two years and seven months in jail by a judge at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday January 6.
Pictured: The drugs he was carrying
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 drug dogs, on the railway daily 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.”
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