Ajit Karn
London: According to British police, Indian-Origin Man has been sentenced to 14 months in prison for fraudulently attempting to circumvent the UK’s ban on the importation of cannabis.
38-year-old Darshan Patel, from Swindon in south-west England, was sentenced to 14 months in prison, suspended for two years. This means that he must fulfil the sentence if he violates the stringent conditions imposed on his behaviour during that time. Wiltshire Police, which investigated the case, stated that the recent court decision serves as a warning to those who deal with forbidden or prohibited substances.
Chris Hemns, a police constable for Wiltshire Police, stated that Patel was apprehended for attempting to circumvent the law by essentially applying the law governing the cultivation of hemp to the sale of cannabis products.
“Under the Misuse of Drugs Act of 1971, it is unlawful to sell cannabis foliage and flowers with a THC concentration of less than 0.2%. We have caught up with him despite his attempts to circumvent the system, and this case serves as a reminder that the sale of controlled substances, in whatever form, is detrimental, and that we will always pursue it to the full extent of the law “he said.
In October 2020, Wiltshire Police were contacted by the UK Border Agency, who had intercepted several containers of a green herbal substance containing THC – the primary psychoactive component of cannabis – addressed to Patel and his company, RED EYEZ.
On the company’s website, hash and leaf tea were advertised as hemp or CBD, along with deceptive claims that they were lawful to sell because their THC content was less than 0.2%. The police obtained a warrant, and Patel’s home was investigated and he was apprehended in January 2021.
Several items were seized, including multiple phones, cannabis herb and cannabis substance, digital scales, currency, and banking documents. Wiltshire Police stated that an investigation was conducted and forensic testing revealed that all seized items tested positive for cannabis.
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Despite having much reduced levels of THC, the cannabis and cannabis resin were still classified as a Class B controlled substance under the UK’s Misuse of Drugs Act of 1971, according to the police.
Darshan Patel was sentenced on February 23 at Swindon Crown Court for one count of possession of cannabis with intent to distribute and three counts of being knowingly involved in the fraudulent evasion of the prohibition on importation of the Class B substance medicinal cannabis.
The police have reportedly initiated proceeds of crime proceedings against Darshan Patel in relation to the money he has made from the unlawful sale of hashish.
