Drug dealer jailed for 12 years after £800,000 of cocaine was found hidden in secret compartment inside van

A man has been jailed for 12 years after a stash of cocaine worth £800,000 was found hidden in a secret compartment in his van.
10 kilos of cocaine worth around £800,000 hidden in a secret compartment in a van.10 kilos of cocaine worth around £800,000 hidden in a secret compartment in a van.
10 kilos of cocaine worth around £800,000 hidden in a secret compartment in a van.

Francis Cain, 45, was stopped by police driving his van on the A1 motorway near to the junction for Bowburn on 10.50am on September 23.

When officers searched the van they found 10 packages of cocaine hidden in a secret purpose built compartment behind the drivers area.

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Forensic analysis showed the packages to be cocaine with a purity of 81% that weighed more than 10 kilos, with a street value of around £800,000.

Francis Cain was sentenced to 12 years in prison.Francis Cain was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
Francis Cain was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Cain, who is from Liverpool, was arrested at the scene and his van was seized.

He admitted possession with intent to supply class A drugs.

Cain was sentenced to 12 years in prison and given a two year driving ban at Durham Crown Court on Friday, November 29, following an investigation by the Joint Border Disruption Team.

The team is a joint NCA and regional police force unit of Cleveland, Durham, and Northumbria officers.

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Following his sentencing, Andy Etherington of the NCA said: “Pursuing and bringing to justice the criminals who supply potentially deadly drugs that fuel violence and exploitation is a priority for the NCA.

“Thanks to the officers working to disrupt organised crime in the region, this significant amount of drugs haven’t made their way to the streets.

“We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to tackle the criminals who pay no heed to the damage they cause, and ultimately make sure that criminality doesn’t pay.”