Cocaine smugglers sentenced to 95 years

Seven men have received jail sentences totalling 95 years after being convicted for their role in a major cocaine smuggling ring.

Michael Leslie Woolley, 57 and Richard Leslie Burr, 53, both from Chesterfield, Derbyshire, Andrew James Doyle, 52 and Michael Paul, 47, both from Islington, London and Karl Nicolas Ward, 46, from Worksop, Nottingham were all sentenced to fourteen years for conspiring to import Class A drugs into the UK.

Jason Edwards Robert, 33, from Islington was sentenced to 15 years and David Owen Rawson, 39, from Worksop was sentenced to ten years.

The trial, at Derby Crown Court, heard how the men attempted to smuggle 29 kilos of cocaine, with an estimated street value of £1.1 million, into Hull docks. Officers from HM Revenue & Customs found the drugs concealed in tar in the tarpods of a highways vehicle.

Reporting restrictions had been in place in the case. The trial concluded on February 10, when the final defendant, Mr Rawson, was sentenced.

Kevin Holgate, Senior Investigation Officer for HM Revenue & Customs, said: "We are extremely pleased with the results in this case and the sentences given to those convicted. We will continue our efforts to disrupt organised drugs crime and reduce the availability of Class A drugs by detecting and deterring smuggling attempts and by the recovery of drug related criminal assets."

(KMcA/GB)