Jail for man who set up crystal meth labs in Peterborough homes

Radek Cernek, 37, was greeted by the Neighbourhood Support Team at about 3am on 10 July following an early morning warrant at his home in Percival Street, West Town.

On entering the house officers found what appeared to be a homemade drugs lab with a number of bottles, scales and glass dishes.

The bottles were half filled with a liquid and had a white substance, since confirmed to be methylamphetamine, commonly known as ‘crystal meth’, that had sunk to the bottom.

Radek and a 38-year-old man from Welland who was also found at the house, were arrested but later released from custody pending further investigation and testing at a forensic lab.

Whilst Radek was on bail, police received information he had changed his address to Stanley Road in Eastgate, without notifying officers.

A warrant was again obtained by the Neighbourhood Support Team who paid a visit to the new address on 14 October.

Again, they found glasses with a white crystallised powder within them and set-ups in an annex and shed containing bottles, tubes, containers of chemicals, sealed bags, scales, bulk medicine, cleaning products and dishes.

Radek was arrested for a second time, along with a 52-year-old man.

The following day Radek was charged with two counts of being concerned in the production of crystal meth and remanded in custody to appear in court.

He initially denied the charges but later changed his pleas at Peterborough Crown Court on 13 November.

Radek, of no fixed address, appeared at the same court yesterday (Thursday 17 December) where he was sentenced to a year and four months in prison.

The two men arrested alongside Cernek remain under investigation.

DC Mat Belfitt said: “The actions of Cernek are just astounding; even after being caught out once and being under investigation, he simply thought he could move his ‘business’ and carry on his criminal activity.

“While crystal meth isn’t as commonly seen on the streets of Peterborough, compared to other class A drugs, it is still an extremely harmful substance which not only causes harm to those using it and their families, but we often see violence and other criminality linked to the production, sale and use of drugs.”