Two Sligo men have been jailed for a total of 34 years for smuggling more than €3.8 million worth of drugs in to the UK.
Robert McGowan and Vincent Gerard Sweeney were towing an Irish registered horsebox when it was intercepted by British customs officers at Dover Docks on March 28th this year.
In the bulkhead between the grooming compartment and horse compartment a concealment was discovered, containing 25 kilograms of heroin and 600 kilograms cannabis resin.
McGowan (38) of Carlton Estate, was sentenced to 18 years in prison and Sweeney (44) of Glendallon, Ballitavlin, Sligo, has been jailed for 16 years.
Canterbury Crown Court court heard the vehicle was being driven by Sweeney, who carried McGowan as a passenger.
The pair were arrested and formally charged at the docks with attempting to import a controlled drug, contrary to Section 170(2) of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979.
Both pleaded not guilty to the charge, but were found guilty by a jury following a four day trial.
In sentencing the men, Her Honour Judge Adele Williams said: "Those who import heroin into this country deserve no mercy.
Cannabis causes considerable harm to people's lives and people who import these drugs play with high stakes." In respect of McGowan she said that he was "by no means the courier — he is part of the organisation," and in respect of Sweeney she said that he was "a weak man who joined the enterprise due to his expertise with horses."
Chris Ballard, Assistant Chief Investigation Officer for HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) said officers are working at the forefront of the fight to stop drugs entering the UK and to reduce the associated harm to our communities.
"We aim to protect society from this activity wherever we detect it," he said. "The sentences handed down by the court will act as a deterrent to those involved in drug trafficking and clearly shows that crime doesn't pay."
PA