A van driver who told border officers he was delivering a hot tub has been jailed after investigators found 27.5 kilograms of cannabis hidden inside the vehicle’s roof. The National Crime Agency said the drugs had an estimated value of £220,000.
Paulius Andrulis, 37, was sentenced to two years and two months in prison at Laganside Crown Court on August 11 after admitting possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply.
How the concealment was found
Andrulis arrived at Belfast port on June 15, 2025, after travelling by ferry from Cairnryan in Scotland. He told Border Force officers he was taking a hot tub to an address in Mullingar in the Republic of Ireland.
A search instead revealed a purpose-built compartment running along the length of the van roof. Officers accessed the concealed space through the top of the rear doors and recovered packages of herbal cannabis.
The account given to investigators
After his arrest, Andrulis denied knowing about the drugs. He said a man he knew as “Sprite” had asked him to leave the van at the delivery address and collect it later after the hot tub had been removed.
The NCA said its investigation indicated he was likely to have participated in previous smuggling trips and that his interview account was not credible. He later admitted the drug offence in court on June 29.
Why vehicle hides remain useful to smugglers
Purpose-built vehicle compartments are designed to make an ordinary commercial journey look legitimate while placing contraband outside the most obvious storage areas. Their effectiveness depends on avoiding detailed inspection and maintaining a convincing explanation for the route and cargo.
In this case, the drugs were not placed behind luggage or beneath a seat. The altered roof indicates planning and investment, while the cross-border route shows why cooperation between port officers and national investigators matters.
What the case establishes
The sentence concludes the criminal case against the driver, but the public release does not identify who supplied the cannabis, constructed the compartment or expected to receive the van. Those questions illustrate the difference between stopping a courier and dismantling the wider supply network.
Source: UK National Crime Agency case report. Photo: National Crime Agency, reproduced for reporting this specific story under the NCA’s image-use terms.
Sources
Edin Pula
Edin Pula is the editor responsible for reviewing and publishing content at Smashology Media. He oversees sourcing, fact-checking, corrections, and editorial standards across coverage of internet culture, technology, entertainment, news, and crime.
