West Midlands Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit seized three tonnes of cannabis resin from a property on the outskirts of Coventry on Tuesday 15 July 2008, in what the force believed was its largest cannabis seizure.[1][2] The resin sat in six pallets, each holding 500 kg of cannabis resin bars, with a wholesale value of £2.5 million and a potential street value of £9.5 million; forensic teams began examining the drugs.[2] About £20,000 in cash was also seized from the property.[1]

Dean Merrick, 41, of Bedworth, Warwickshire, was charged with possessing cannabis resin with intent to supply and was remanded in custody after appearing at Birmingham Crown Court.[1] Merrick, a roofer of Church Street, Bulkington, later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to seven years in prison.[3] The court heard officers had seized the three tonnes from two lockable units Merrick rented, where he acted as warehouseman receiving and storing drug pallets.[3] Police called it the biggest cannabis seizure ever made by the force and believed it was the largest resin haul recovered by any British force that year.[3] Sentencing him, Judge Robert Orme said it was by any standards a very substantial amount of cannabis resin.[3]