Thirty-five-year-old Joanna Kozera and 45-year-old Nicholas Adams, formerly of Lower Crescent in Barham, appeared at Ipswich Crown Court on Thursday 29 June where they were both sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment. 

The pair had pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cannabis and possession with intent to supply cannabis at an earlier hearing.

The couple had been sub-letting a container in Wright Road in the town. 

On 30 September 2018, police were informed that drugs had been found hidden within the container after the owner had forced it open after it was repossessed following lapsed rent payment.

Police attended and discovered an internal self-installed wall in the container, within which suspected Class A drugs, namely cocaine, cannabis, drug paraphernalia and paperwork relating to the cannabis operation were found. The paperwork connected Kozera to the activity.

The following day, 1 October 2018, Kozera attended the site whilst the police were still present and was arrested. A number of phones found in her possession were also seized.

Police conducted a search of her home address and located class A drugs, namely cocaine, cannabis and paperwork which further evidenced drug dealing. 

A laptop and mobile phones were seized at the address and Adams was also arrested in connection with the activity.

On 2 October 2018 police searched a car belonging to Adams which had been found in the village of Henley and seized cannabis and further paperwork relating to the drug operation. Another car registered to Adams was also seized and searched on 18 October 2018, where a mobile phone was recovered.

The pair were released under investigation as detectives carried out extensive enquiries, including DNA testing and analysis of the devices. Enquiries indicated Adams had rented the container between 2015 and 2018.

Adams and Kozera were charged with three counts of drug offences via postal requisition on 18 September 2019 and first appeared at Ipswich Magistrates’ Court on 12 November 2019.

On 29 June 2023, they were sentenced to 30 months imprisonment for being concerned in the supply of cannabis. They also admitted the offence of possession with intent to supply cannabis, for which they received a six-month prison term to run concurrently to the 30 months, but denied the charge of being concerned in the supply of cocaine which was left to lay on file.

Detective Sergeant Vincent Grimsey of the Serious Crime Disruption Team said: “This was a long and complex investigation which finally ended the criminal activity of a couple who had made substantial and illegal profit from their cannabis supply operation which they had run on a well-organised level for some time.

“The impact that illegal drugs can have on communities should not be underestimated, and Suffolk police is committed to doing all we can to ensure that those responsible are held accountable for their actions.

“I hope the sentences passed allow Adams and Kozera to transition away from destructive and criminal enterprises.”