A DOZING train passenger was arrested in Carlisle after staff noticed that his suitcase stank of cannabis.

When police forced open the suitcase, they found almost a kilo of cannabis, worth an estimated £10,000, the city’s crown court heard. The sleeping passenger who was transporting the drug, 38-year-old Gazmir Shehu, initially claimed it was for personal use.

He later pleaded guilty to possessing the drug with intent to supply.

Prosecutor Andrew Evans said the defendant came to the attention of train staff as he travelled on the Preston to Glasgow service on June 28 last year.

“There was a strong smell of cannabis,” said Mr Evans.

Because of this, train staff alerted British Transport Police, who boarded the train at Carlisle and arrested the defendant.

Mr Evans said: “The defendant initially denied that the bag was his and then said he could not speak English and so they could not get the keycode for the bag.”

When the attending officer forced the suitcase open and found it was crammed with 910g of cannabis bush. The officer estimated that there were probably 500 cannabis flowering heads.

A police expert had estimated that the drug, is sold on the streets, would have generated an income of around £10,000.

The court heard that the defendant had worked as a musical instrument maker, specialising in building guitars and violins. But he had suffered an accident. He has no previous convictions recorded in the UK.

Andrew Gurney, defending, said Shehu came to the UK illegally nine years ago from Albania, smuggled into the country in the rear of a lorry after paying people smugglers £7,000.

Now married, he had been living in Scotland with his wife and two children.

“Since coming to the UK, he has designed and made violins and guitars,” said Mr Gurney. “He was able to derive an income from this, marketing his designs on Facebook and TikTok.

“He has never been involved in criminal activity before and he had intended to provide some cannabis to his friends. He did not intend to benefit commercially.”

Judge Nicholas Barker said that claim was not accepted by the prosecution.

The judge noted that the defendant’s status in the UK is uncertain, Shehu having arrived here illegally. His residency status is currently under review.

Judge Barker jailed the defendant for 21 weeks. Given Shehu’s uncertain immigration status, said the judge, it would not be appropriate to suspend the sentence.

He added that what happens when he is released will be up to the Home Office.