Jailed for possessing more than £20k-worth of THC

The defendant, who previously gave an address of 19, Hauteville, St Peter Port, had pleaded guilty to possessing the class A drug THC – the main psychoactive component of cannabis – and class B drug herbal cannabis, as well as illegally importing herbal cannabis.

He had denied failing to disclose a mobile phone pin code when required, but was previously found guilty.

The Royal Court heard how a parcel from the UK was intercepted at Guernsey Post in May last year and was found to contain 13.84g of herbal cannabis.

A missed delivery slip was delivered to the address and a redelivery request was made online, with a mobile number linked to Falla. A man called the post office several times from the number, asking about the package. The defendant was then arrested.

In July last year a police officer drove along Hauteville and saw four men outside a property. Two darted inside a property they had just come out of and the officer said this looked suspicious. The officer spoke to the men and one said they had come from Falla’s home.

The officer went into Falla’s flat and could smell cannabis. The property was searched and herbal cannabis was found in several locations, totalling 63.98g. There was also some cannabis mixed with tobacco.

There was also several types of THC found – 38.8g of gummy sweets, 205.6g of syrup, 237g of paste and 89.6g of flakes.

In interview Falla admitted the drugs were his and said he used them to calm down.

Prosecutor Jenny McVeigh said the cannabis, which in total was just over 80g, had a value of between £4,045 and £5,663.

It was not possible to get a value for all the THC products, but she said the syrup had a value of between £20,560 and £26,728.

Defence advocate Samuel Steel said his client had entered guilty pleas to all the charges but the mobile pin number offence.

He asked the court to note that the drugs were for personal use and his client had relied on them for years.

‘Mr Falla was experimenting with cannabis in all its different forms,’ he said.

‘It’s a substance he had used since the age of 15.’

Falla has been in custody since last July and had missed the birth of his child.

Advocate Steel said his client was determined to be a good father and that would motivate him to not use illegal drugs.

Falla got a cannabis prescription at the start of 2021, but found he was so dependant on the drug the prescription was not enough.

Lt-Bailiff Russell Finch said the case involved a very large quantity of THC and said it was evident Falla was a supplier of drugs, in some form.

‘You do not learn from your mistakes and you present a high risk of reoffending,’ he said.

Falla was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison for importing cannabis and 18 months, consecutive, for failing to disclose his pin code.

With the possession charges, the punishments of two years, four months for the THC and six months for the cannabis will run concurrent to each other, but consecutive to the other matters, giving a total of six years and six months.

In a sitting of the Magistrate’s Court, following the Royal Court sentencing, Falla was sentenced to a further six months for other matters.

He admitted breaching a community service order and a probation order in 2020 and was sentenced to three months in prison.

He also admitted three counts of possessing small amounts of cannabis and one count of illegally cultivating cannabis. He was sentenced to three months for these matters.