A man, identified as Mark Hadi, has received a substantial prison sentence following his apprehension with a substantial quantity of cocaine in his vehicle on the M40 near Bicester. On Friday, September 8th, at Oxford Crown Court, the 40-year-old resident of Ashford Road in Eastbourne pleaded guilty to one charge of possessing cocaine with intent to distribute, resulting in a sentencing of seven years and six months behind bars.
The incident unfolded on August 9th, around 11:30 am, near junction 9 of the M40, where Hadi was flagged down by police for excessive speeding and reckless driving. Thames Valley Police officers, acting under Section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act, conducted a thorough search of his vehicle. The outcome of this search revealed a staggering 10 kilograms of cocaine stashed inside, an illicit substance estimated to carry a street value of approximately £1 million.
Hadi was promptly arrested on August 9th and charged the following day. Detective Constable Beck Hurley-Brydon, heading the investigation within the Serious Organized Crime Unit, commented on the case, stating, “Hadi traveled into the Thames Valley with a significant quantity of class A drugs. Thanks to the due diligence of our roads policing officers and utilization of police stop and search powers, we have been able to take a significant amount of drugs off the streets. I hope this sends a message to those that travel through the Thames Valley that our officers are relentless and will deal robustly with those bringing criminality into our area.”
Cocaine, among other substances such as heroin, ecstasy, and LSD, is classified as a Class A drug within the three categories delineated by drug classification laws.
Source: BucksHerald
