Gang who imported drugs by courier sentenced to 113 years
02 July 2010
Career criminals who exploited legitimate courier companies to do their dirty work importing more than £18m of Class A and B drugs have been sentenced to a total of 113 years in prison.
Over the space of five months the gangs imported cocaine, heroin and cannabis to the UK hidden in blue steel drums of water based primer. The primer was removed from the drums and replaced with the drugs in the Netherlands and then shipped by courier to the gang’s fake business address in Neston, Merseyside.
SOCA arrested seven men and one woman in October 2009, six of them as they met in a hospital car park to hand over 44kg of heroin.
Searches of their homes and business recovered one tonne of cannabis resin, 22kgs of amphetamine sulphate and 1000 ecstasy tablets, along with £46,325 cash and a cash counting machine.
Their business premises, Blue Crown Storage, housed a hydroponic cannabis factory containing a substantial number of plants in varying degrees of maturity. Fertilizers, plant feed, light timers, fans and specialist air venting were found on the first floor.
Six blue steel drums addressed to Blue Crown Storage and containing a second consignment of drugs were intercepted by Merseyside Police on the 19th October 2009.
His Honour Judge Clifton commenting on the case at Liverpool Crown Court said, “The conspiracy was professional and sophisticated despite the defendants having no historical criminality.”
Travel Restriction Orders were granted against six of the seven men and Financial Reporting Orders imposed against the two brothers.
More information on Travel Restriction Orders and Financial Reporting orders can be found in our About SOCA pages.
Defendants:
Ian Dunn, aged 32, Chippenham Avenue, Wirral, Merseyside 16 years
Paul Dunn, aged 29, Fornalls Green Lane, Wirral, Merseyside 16 years
Gary Williams, aged 33, Cambrian Road Wirral, Merseyside 7 years
Mohammed Ejaz, aged 47, The Drive, Ilford, Essex 14 years
Rehman Rana, aged 24, Belgrave Rd, Ilford, Essex 16 years
Asim Azam, aged 25, High Road, Ilford, Essex 12 years
Ateeq Iqbal Mirza, aged 43, Lilac Avenue, Wakefield, West Yorkshire 17 years
Angela Stephens, aged 21, Chippenham Avenue, Wirral, Merseyside 15 years