Two Sligo men were jailed for 16 and 18 years at Canterbury Crown Court on Thursday after being found guilty of smuggling drugs with an estimated value of £2.6 million into the UK.
Vincent Sweeney (44), of Glendallon, Ballytivnan, and Robert McGowan (38), of Cartron estate, were jailed for 16 and 18 years respectively after being found guilty of importing 25kg of heroin and 600kg of cannabis resin into the country last March.
The court heard that on March 28th an Irish-registered horsebox driven by Sweeney with passenger McGowan was intercepted by British customs officers at Dover docks.
The concealment was discovered during a search of the bulkhead between the grooming compartment and horse compartment.
In passing sentence, Judge Adele Williams said: "Those who import heroin deserve no mercy.Cannabis causes considerable harm to people's lives."
Judge Williams said McGowan was "by no means a courier - he is part of the organisation", while Sweeney was "a weak man who joined the enterprise due to his expertise with horses".