Another case of an offender receiving cannabis through the post was heard in court this week.

Carl Francis Kelch was fined £800 for importing cannabis to the island in the post.

The 31-year-old pleaded guilty to two counts of production of the drug to the island from the UK.

Prosecuting advocate Roger Kane told magistrates that police were called to the Post Office sorting office on September 26 last year after a report of a suspicious package.

It was addressed to Kelch at an address in Barrule Road, Willaston, where he was living at the time.

When opened, the parcel was found to contain 27.5 grams of cannabis, valued at £550.

On January 12, a second package was intercepted at the sorting office, again addressed to Kelch, and this time police found 28.9 grams of cannabis inside, valued at £867.

Kelch, who lives in Clifton Terrace, Douglas, was arrested and when interviewed told police he was a habitual cannabis user, using around two grams per day.

He said he was sick of the high prices dealers in the Isle of Man were charging so he had ordered the drug from the UK, which was all for personal use.

Mr Kane said that it was accepted that Kelch was not going to supply anyone else.

Defence advocate Paul Glover said that his client would dispute the values of the cannabis stated by the police but accepted it was 56.4 grams in total.

Mr Glover asked for credit to be given for Kelch’s admissions to the police and guilty pleas, as well as the fact his last drug conviction was in 2015.

Magistrates fined Kelch £400 for each of the two counts of production and ordered him to pay the fine and £125 costs at a rate of £10 per week, deducted from benefits.

The courts have dealth with dozens of cases of cannabis being sent through the post since the pandemic began.