A FORMER policeman and a retired meat dealer have been found guilty of possessing cannabis resin worth more than £267,000 after a court heard how the smell of rotting chicken led to their arrests.

Michael Kinkaid, 72 and Anthony Wright, 76, were found to have 267 kilos of the drug at an industrial unit at Laindon after it had been smuggled from Spain alongside frozen chickens.

But as they unpacked the sealed wraps of resin they failed to clean them, leaving traces of chicken on the packs.

The smell became so appalling that neighbouring businesses contacted police with concerns that there might have been a rotting body in the unit.

When local officers broke into investigate on November 27 2013 they carried out a thorough search. They followed the smell to 89 blocks of cannabis resin hidden under polythene sheeting.

Detectives from the Kent and Essex Serious and Organised Crime Unit launched an investigation and arrested Kinkaid and Wright who rented the unit to store chicken imported from Spain.

They denied any involvement in the importation of drugs but were found guilty of possessing cannabis with intent to supply after a six-day trial which started at Basildon Crown Court and concluded at Southend Crown Court yesterday.

The jury heard that Kinkaid of Broad Oaks, Wickford, was a former police officer, jewellery shop owner and heavy goods vehicle driver. Wright of Basildon Drive, Laindon, was a retired meat dealer.

They are due to be sentenced on November 24 and have been warned to expect substantial custodial sentences.

DC Bob Evans, the investigating officer, said: "These men were caught because they failed to clean the sealed packs of cannabis resin after they were separated from the frozen chickens. The packs of cannabis resin were then hidden under polythene sheeting.

"As the smell became worse other business in the area became concerned and reported an odour of what was described as rotting flesh coming from the unit.

"Attending officers confirmed that the smell coming from the unit was 'dreadful' and entry was forced to the unit due to a concern for life.

"The resin was contained within heat sealed packages and appeared to be covered in a blood-like detritus.

"This investigation involved the assistance of both the National Crime Agency and UK Border Force resulting in enquiries being carried out at both a national and international level. During the course of the investigation both Kinkaid and Wright through some form of misguided loyalty failed to identify other parties involved in the importation of these drugs.”