Summary
Our client, alongside one co-defendant, was accused of being involved in a major drug importation conspiracy to an amount valued in excess of £3 million. He faced three charges relating to smuggling Class A drugs, which he denied, and one charge relating to Class B, which he accepted. Ultimately, our client was found not guilty of the Class A charges and received a prison sentence of less than 3 years for the Class B charge – a very good outcome for the client.
Conspiracy to Import Drugs
This case was an investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA) into a conspiracy to important large amounts of Class A and B drugs across the UK border by an Organised Crime Group (OCG). A car was stopped at the border where a total of 6kg of cocaine, 3kg of heroin, 41kg of MDMA and 11kg of ketamine had been concealed within the vehicle. Following an in-depth investigation by the NCA that included extensive analysis of phone and cell site evidence, our client and another co-defendant were linked to the conspiracy.
Neither our client nor the co-defendant was present in the vehicle when the drugs were found, however the Prosecution’s case was that both were in league with the driver and others. However, there was no direct communication between our client and the driver at any stage.
It was alleged that our client had made at least three trips in the same car where the drugs were found, which at one point had been registered in his name. These trips were related to smuggling cannabis, where it was also alleged that our client had fitted a sophisticated concealment compartment in the boot which was used to smuggle the drugs. The ownership of the car was then transferred to a different driver shortly before the drugs were found at the border.
The NCA put forth that there was no dispute that a large quantity of drugs were brought into the country and that there was an agreement of sorts between the defendants. The issue was the specifics that were agreed between the co-defendants.
Our Defence
Managing Director Stephen Halloran took on our client’s case. A careful and considered approach was crucial to analyse the significant evidence served by the NCA. Our client was facing three charges of conspiracy to import Class A’s and one charge of conspiracy to transport Class B’s.
Our client accepted the charge relating to Class B drugs and that he had made one trip to the continent to import cannabis back to the UK. However, he denied the remaining charges and maintained that he had no knowledge of any conspiracy to transport Class A’s and would not have involved himself if asked. As a result, we were able to argue that any contact that our client had with co-conspirator(s) would have been either in relation to the cannabis or wholly innocent.
This case was extremely technical given the volume of evidence and required a tactical approach. Due to the circumstances and the amount of drugs involved in the alleged conspiracy, our client was at risk of an extremely lengthy prison sentence. The guidelines for importing Class A’s range from a substantial fine to 16 years prison, with a maximum potential sentence of life imprisonment.
Court
Our client’s case was heard at Canterbury Crown Court where he was represented by Barrister Kevin Molloy of Church Crown Chambers. Stephen and Kevin employed a strategic approach when preparing the case to ensure that we were able to present the best possible evidence to the jury.
After a trial, the jury found our client not guilty of the Class A offences and he was sentenced to less than 3 years for his involvement in the importation of Class B drugs. The co-defendant, who was represented by a different firm, was convicted of the Class A offences and was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment.
Considering there was a risk of a substantially longer prison sentence for the Class A charges, this was an excellent outcome for our client and a testament to the strength of the legal guidance provided by our team.
Looking for a specialist drug importation solicitor?
If you have been accused of a drug importation charges, it’s important to secure expert legal representation immediately as the consequences can be extremely serious. At Lawtons, we have extensive experience in this area of criminal law and are dedicated to securing the best possible outcome for our clients. If you need legal advice, please do not hesitate – contact a member of our specialist team today.
