Jurors find man not guilty of importing 155 kilos of cannabis into the UK

A man has been found not guilty of allegedly importing 155 kilos of cannabis into the UK, which were found hidden under fragrant tumble dryer sheets used to ‘disguise the smell’. Gao Shan, 53, was accused of importing the class B drug as well as possession with intent to supply cannabis.

However, following a trial at Minshull Street Crown Court, jurors have found him not guilty of both offences.

Jurors previously heard that police were investigating the smuggling of cannabis into the country in July last year. This operation saw the creation of ‘fictitious companies’ in Canada sending industrial machinery into the UK, it was said.

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The first consignment was ordered on July 13, described to be an ‘inverter’ and was originally addressed to an address in Wilmslow, prosecutor Antony Longworth said.

En route, the address was changed to be delivered to a unit on Victoria Park Industrial Estate, Failsworth, the court heard. “On July 15 that consignment arrived by air at Heathrow and was wrapped in blue plastic. Border Force officers were suspicious and the consignment was opened and was found to not contain industrial machinery, but boxes and boxes of cannabis,” Mr Longworth said.

“They were wrapped in vacuum sealed packages and contained fragrant tumble dryer sheets, which the prosecution say was used to disguise the notable smell of cannabis.”

That consignment was seized and, the prosecutor said, showed the smuggling operation ‘going about its work and what they were attempting to do’. On July 21 another 'company' based on the same street which sent the previous consignment in Richmond, Canada, sent a further