Cousins jailed over £20m cocaine hidden in van

The van Adrian and George Tirnovan were in contained more than 200kg of cocaine

Two men have been jailed after cocaine with a street value of up to £20m was found concealed in a van.

The vehicle had been fitted with a sophisticated system which opened five hidden compartments, said West Midlands Police.

It had travelled from France, with the drugs discovered after it was pulled over in Solihull.

Driver Adrian Tirnovan and his passenger and cousin George Tirnovan have been sentenced to more than 30 years in prison between them.

Blocks of cocaine were concealed in the van's sides and overhead space

Adrian Tirnovan, of no fixed address, admitted importing cocaine and possession with intent to supply.

The 22-year-old was sentenced to 14 years and three months at Coventry Crown Court on 24 January.

George Tirnovan, 28, from Forest Gate, London, was convicted of the same offences and jailed for 18 years.

The pair were arrested after the Mercedes Sprinter in which they were travelling was pulled over near Homer Road, Solihull, on 24 June 2023.

It had been driven from France earlier that same day and raised suspicions, said police.

Connectors in the steering column were part of a system which opened the van's hidden compartments

About 40kg blocks of drugs were discovered in bags under the rear seats, and another 187 blocks in the hidden compartments.

Those compartments were opened after police realised connectors in the steering column and loose wires near the handbrake operated a "sophisticated system".

The Class A drugs had been destined to "flood the streets", said Det Insp David Simpson, from West Midlands Police.

"This pair have now been jailed for a long time and our work is ongoing to bring down drug supply chains."