�10m drugs ring jailed 97 years after Channel naval chase
THE last four members of a �10 million international drugs ring caught when the Navy intercepted their boat in the Channel have been jailed today. The sentences added to other gang members already behind bars brings the total to 94 years
THE last four members of a �10 million international drug smuggling ring caught when the Royal Navy intercepted their boat in the Channel have been jailed today.
Their sentences added to two other gang members already behind bars brings the total to 94 years.
The gang had been under police surveillance for months in East London and Hertfordshire, where they had plotted to hold up cash transit vans.
They went on to smuggle �10m of cocaine from South America, but were intercepted by the Navy and UK Border Agency.
Charges included conspiracy to smuggle �10m cocaine, possessing firearms and plotting transit cash robberies.
All their enterprises failed, from their dash across the Atlantic from Guyana when they were stopped off the Devon coast to being followed from a clandestine crime-plot meeting in an East End cafe where they were caught with firearms.
Gang boss Patrick Walsh, 48, from Watford, was back before a judge at Woolwich crown court in south-east London today for sentencing for conspiracy to import cocaine, possessing firearms with intent to commit robbery and plotting a cash transit robbery. He was given to 21 years.
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Douglas Wood, 59, from Kent, got 23 years and David Coxon, 54, from Newcastle, 15 years, both for drugs conspiracy.
John Dunlop, 52, from Sussex, got 15 years for conspiracy to rob on top of his previous eight years for firearms.
William Cannon, 49, from Rainham in Essex, got two years added to his five given last year, while Joseph Gorgin, 28, from Sussex, got five years, both for firearms.
