25/09/2015

Toy Shop Owner Jailed For Five Years

A self employed children's toy shop owner has been jailed for five years for attempting to smuggle Class B drugs into the UK in containers of toys.

Kristopher Scott, 33, from Ballymoney, was arrested in November 2013 after Border Force officers seized 24kgs of Methylmethcathinone in childrens ride on cars and mechanical fish.

Scott, who had changed his name by deed poll, attempted to hide his involvement in drug trafficking from law enforcement by using his former name and the name of one of his employees to transfer thousands of pounds to China to buy the drugs.

During sentencing the court heard how he had transferred over £24,000 through nine different bureaux in Counties Antrim and Londonderry in a two day period.

Scott pleaded guilty at Laganside Crown Court on 17 August 2015.

Matt Rivers, from the NCA's Border Policing Command, said: "There is no doubt Scott would have continued using his legitimate trade as a cover for his drug smuggling had he not been stopped. Working with Border Force and other law enforcement partners, the NCA is committed to stop criminals making a profit to reinvest in further criminality."

The investigation was assisted by the PSNI.

(CD/LM)

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