A van driver accused of smuggling cannabis into Northern Ireland and onward to the Republic of Ireland has been jailed after an investigation by the UK National Crime Agency (NCA). The NCA said its officers arrested 37-year-old Paulius Andrulis, a Lithuanian national, at Belfast port on 15 June 2025 after he arrived on a sailing from Cairnryan in Scotland. The NCA said Border Force officers questioned Andrulis about his journey. Andrulis told Border Force he was delivering a hot tub to an address in Mullingar in the Republic of Ireland. The NCA said that when officers searched his van, they found a purpose-built hiding place in the roof. The hide ran the length of the roof of the van and was accessed through the top of the rear doors. Inside, officers discovered 27.5 kilos of herbal cannabis, described as a class B drug. Andrulis was arrested the following day on suspicion of possessing a controlled drug with intent to supply. In interview, the NCA said he denied knowledge of the drugs. He claimed he had been asked to drop the van at the address and receive it back a few hours later with the hot tub removed, and that the delivery had been arranged by a man he knew as “Sprite”. Andrulis admitted the offence when he appeared at Laganside Crown Court on 29 June. On 11 August, the court sentenced him to two years and two months in prison. The NCA said Andrulis went to “great lengths” to conceal the cannabis and that its investigation indicated he was likely involved in previous smuggling runs. The NCA also thanked Border Force for the interception. Border Force said the drugs seized during the operation can cause harm to communities, and that it continues to work to disrupt smuggling into Northern Ireland and across the border.