Frightened girl, seven, witnessed father's arrest for importing £600 of cannabis to Shrewsbury
A father who ordered £600 worth of "high-grade" cannabis from California was arrested in front of his "frightened" seven-year-old daughter.
Malik Abkari, aged 34, ordered the Class B drugs to his brother Samir's house in Beeches Lane, just off Wyle Cop in Shrewsbury town centre.
However, a border guard at Heathrow airport intercepted the packet and discovered 22g of cannabis on January 19, 2020.
Shrewsbury Crown Court was told by Philip Beardwell, prosecuting, that the parcel was addressed to a Joseph Riley and had packaging suggesting it contained a yoga ball. A drug expert said the cannabis was on the "premium end" of the market.
That discovery prompted police to raid Samir Abkari's house, where they found a quantity of cannabis, a set of scales and an Alcatel mobile phone which contained messages that were indicative of drug dealing. A further warrant was executed and a smart phone and computer were seized.
Police arrested Malik Abkari when an Audi registered to him "pinged" an ANPR camera in London. Officers caught up with him in Egerton Gardens, Ilford, where he was arrested in front of his daughter. The court was told he was previously jailed for four years for supplying crack cocaine and heroin.
