Drugs, Weapons, and Nine Phones Hidden in Punchbag: Police Bust at Pound Lane
Police raided a Pound Lane property and uncovered a stash that would make any crime drama jealous. Inside, officers found nine mobile phones—four hidden inside a punchbag—plus a terrifying array of weapons including an extendable baton, a machete, three small knives, and a knuckleduster.
Craig Wharton’s Flight Ends with Arrest at Dartford Crossing
The raid happened on November 9, 2022, under the Misuse of Drugs Act. But Craig Wharton, 36, wasn’t home and fled the county when he caught wind of the police visit. A week later, cops caught him after spotting him as a passenger in a car crossing into Kent via the Dartford Crossing. Officers saw cannabis being tossed out of the window and found more inside the vehicle.
Three-and-a-Half Years Behind Bars for Cannabis Supply and Criminal Property
Wharton later admitted to possession with intent to supply a Class B drug and possession of criminal property. On January 6, 2023, Maidstone Crown Court sentenced him to three and a half years in prison. This included activating a suspended sentence linked to an earlier offence.
“Craig Wharton was involved in the commercial supply of cannabis and kept a wealth of incriminating evidence at his home address,” said Detective Sergeant Dean Sycamore of Kent’s Serious Crime Directorate. “He should have taken advantage of the opportunity to change his life after receiving a suspended prison sentence, but instead he continued to offend and will now serve time behind bars.”
