Three men have been jailed for importing cocaine with an estimated street value of £99,000 to the Isle of Man.
61-year-old Mark Thone, 59-year-old Adrian Larcombe and 37-year-old John Laird, all from Nottingham, concealed the cocaine in a mini fridge.
Thone was jailed for nine years and 10 months, Larcombe received 14 years and six months and Laird was jailed for 12 years and six months.
Jail Time
DCI Chas Maloney said: “The importation and supply of illegal drugs on the Isle of Man is a serious issue, which is compounded by cross border criminals exploiting our vulnerabilities. Illegal drugs destroy lives and communities and there is absolutely no place for such offending on our island.
“The Isle of Man Constabulary work in collaboration with our partners both locally and in the UK, in our attempts to robustly deter, disrupt and bring those responsible for such offending to justice. Together, we remain committed to protecting our island and ensuring that those who engage in this criminal activity are held accountable.
“The Isle of Man may appear attractive to cross border organised crime groups seeking to import and supply drugs. However, while the street value of drugs on the island is higher than in the UK, so too are the custodial sentences for those caught.
“My message is clear and very simple: it really isn’t worth the risk and the substantial penalties. Law enforcement need to be lucky once, whereas those involved, need to be lucky every time.”