Dealer who threw £19k worth of drugs into HMP Peterborough then bragged about it is jailed


A dealer who threw thousands of pounds worth of class A drugs into a Cambridgeshire prison has been jailed. The DNA of 23-year-old Hubert Berus, of Earls Close in Fletton, Peterborough, was found on packages thrown into HMP Peterborough.

The criminal was caught on CCTV several times between January and May 2021, climbing over fences at the prison before throwing items over the prison walls. On one occasion, a prison custody officer was alerted to the activity and spotted Berus with two others stashing an item into a ramp after they had run away to a nearby skate park.

A package containing class A drugs – with a prison value of about £19,200 – was recovered and was later found to have Berus’ DNA on it. On another occasion, a package containing almost £2,000 worth of cannabis and tobacco was discovered after it landed in the area between the prison wall and the exercise yard.

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This was tested and, once again, found to have Berus’ DNA on it. Following his arrest for an unrelated matter in March 2021, messages were uncovered on Berus' mobile phone in which he was bragging about having thrown a package into HMP Peterborough.

Hubert Berus
Hubert Berus -Credit:Cambridgeshire Police

In the message, Berus said the package "bounced off the wall", so he had to throw it again. This incident was also captured on CCTV. After months of investigation by detectives, the Neighbourhood Support Team were tasked with finding Berus. He was arrested in Eastfield, near Peterborough city centre, by plain-clothed officers on October 21, 2021.

Berus appeared at Peterborough Crown Court on Friday (October 4), where he was sentenced to a total of three years and two months in prison, after admitting being concerned in the supply of cocaine, heroin and cannabis. His sentence also included a charge of affray in relation to an incident in Eastfield, Peterborough, on October 22 last year.

Kevinas Lazauskas
Kevinas Lazauskas -Credit:Cambridgeshire Police

This incident took place in the early hours of the morning. Police received a 999 call from a distressed man, reporting that men in balaclavas were outside his home in Granville Street and were threatening to harm his cousin who was in the house with him.

One of these men was Berus, and the other was 20-year-old Kevinas Lazauskas of Dryden Road, New England, Peterborough. Lazauskas was jailed for a total of one year and 11 months after admitting affray, possession with intent to supply cannabis and breach of a previously-suspended sentence for drug offences.

Detective Constable Jacob Reeves, who investigated, said: "Not only does this case show our commitment to tackling drug dealing in our county, but also the seriousness of prohibited items going into our prisons. This will absolutely not be tolerated.

Drugs found in skate park
Drugs found in skate park -Credit:Cambridgeshire Police

"This has been a long and complex investigation. However, I am pleased that Berus has now admitted his crimes and will be spending significant time behind bars.”

Information about drug-related crime can be passed to police online via the force’s drugs information webpage.