Published at 13:56, Thursday, 14 February 2013

A drugs criminal caught with an estimated £103,000-worth of narcotics and cash has been jailed for eight years.

Lee Eilbeck, of Carlisle: Admitted three counts of possession with intent to supply controlled drugs and was jailed for eight years

Police seized cocaine from Lee Chapman Eilbeck after pulling over a car he was in near his Carlisle home.

After searching other addresses in the city, they recovered nearly £8,000 in cash, 8.9 kilos of cannabis resin, nearly a kilo of cocaine and a kilo of bush cannabis.

At Carlisle Crown Court, Eilbeck, of John Robert Gardens, off Dalston Road, pleaded guilty to three counts of possession with intent to supply drugs.

Police say his conviction follows an investigation triggered after officers saw the 36-year-old driving his car in the west of the city.

Eilbeck made off from them but they apprehended him soon after, on October 31.

His sentence triggered a renewed plea from police for people to come forward with information about suspected drug dealers.

Detective Inspector Mike Brown, from Cumbria’s serious and organised crime squad, said: “This successful prosecution highlights how serious drug supply is.

“It lets the small number of individuals living in our communities who make vast quantities of money from illegal drug supply know that we are watching them and, when they are caught, they will face a significant time in prison.

“The majority of those involved in drugs supply can appear to lead normal, respectable lives to cover up their illegal activity, so it is vital the public continue to help us identify those that risk the safe and peaceful lives of the law-abiding community by reporting suspicions to us so that we can investigate and take action.”

Information can be passed to police by calling 101 or through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk