Furloughed woman bagged up cannabis for Manchester dealer at £100 a time to make ends meet

A Bolton woman travelled to Manchester to pick up cannabis and bag it up at her home as she struggled for money in the pandemic, a court has heard.

Ioana Rob had been living in the trendy Salford suburb of Monton before moving to Farnworth because she was struggling with her finances, Bolton Magistrates Court heard on Tuesday (February 22).

The 31-year-old was paid just £100 each time she took the cannabis back to her Highfield Road home to bag up, and carried out the duty under 'peer influence'.

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But Rob was rumbled when her home was raided by cops on September 23, 2020, and officers seized a 'substantial quantity' of the class B drug.

Prosecuting, Peter Williams told the court: "The defendant was present in the house and she acknowledged and admitted she had been involved. She knew about the drugs.

"She was subsequently interviewed. She explained that she was suffering financial difficulties, she had been furloughed.

"She said she had done this [picked up cannabis from Manchester] on three or four occasions."

Mr Williams said Rob was of 'previous good character' and had no previous convictions.

Defending, Shah Ali told magistrates that his client 'took full responsibility' for what she had done, although he suggested Rob had been 'intimidated' into carrying out the role.

Mr Ali told the court that Monton had become 'far too expensive' for Rob, originally from eastern Europe, who was 'fearful she was going to lose her home' after being furloughed in 2020.

He added: "She came here 10 years ago, essentially to better her life, followed closely by her sister and her very close friend.

"For 10 years apart from this very short