Lancashire Police arrest three in M6 and M55 drug busts
The first arrest came at shortly before midday on Tuesday (April 1) when officers stopped a silver Audi A6 on the slip road from the M55 northbound onto the M6. A search of the vehicle under section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act uncovered 2kg of cannabis along with GBP6,000 in cash. The alleged driver, 32-year-old Qazim Tota of Hagley Road, Birmingham, was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply Class B drugs and money laundering.
He has since been charged and was remanded to appear before Lancaster Magistrates' Court yesterday (April 2). A second stop followed just over an hour later, when officers pulled over a silver BMW 525 on the M6 near Preston at around 1pm. Another search under the Misuse of Drugs Act led to the discovery of approximately 2kg of cannabis.
Two men - the driver, a 44-year-old man from Essex, and a 42-year-old passenger of no fixed address - were arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply Class B drugs. They have since been released on bail pending further enquiries. A police spokesperson said: "These arrests show our commitment to tackling drug supply on our roads.
"We will continue to target those who seek to bring illegal substances into our communities."
Investigations remain ongoing, and officers are urging anyone with information about drug-related crime to contact police on 101 or report anonymously via Crimestoppers.