Northampton drug smuggler jailed for nine years
5 Dec 2006 12:15 PM
A drug smuggler from Northampton was jailed for nine years at
Maidstone Crown Court yesterday following the seizure by HM Revenue &
Customs (HMRC) officers of nearly ten kilos of Ecstasy and 115 kilos
of cannabis at UK Customs Control Zone, Coquelles. The drugs had an
estimated street value of £729,600.
Peter John Larkin (60), of Northampton, was arrested by Customs
Officers on 20 July 2006 after they discovered the drugs concealed
within reels of cable in the lorry he was driving.
Chris Ballard, Senior Investigation Officer for HMRC, said: "We are
delighted the courts have recognised the seriousness of this case.
This reinforces the effectiveness of our detection skills and
zero-tolerance approach to stop Class A drugs entering the UK and
hitting our streets. I hope this serves as a stern warning to those
who may be tempted by this dangerous crime. We employ a range of
techniques to catch drug smugglers - and they work. We will continue
to focus resources on bringing smugglers to justice for the benefit
of the whole community."
The court heard that Larkin arrived from Coquelles, France, driving a
blue Mercedes van, The vehicle was loaded with four pallets of wire
coils in which the drugs were hidden. The Ecstasy tablets had a
street value of £398,400 and the cannabis had a street value of
£331,200. Larkin pleaded guilty to the charge of importation of
Ecstasy and cannabis under the Customs and Excise Management Act
1979. Larkin was sentenced to nine years for smuggling Ecstasy and
five years for smuggling cannabis to run concurrently.
This case was successfully prosecuted by the Revenue and Customs
Prosecutions Office (RCPO). RCPO is an independent prosecuting
authority, which reports to the Attorney General, and is responsible
for the prosecution of all HMRC cases in England & Wales.
Notes for editors
* The Revenue & Customs Prosecutions Office (RCPO) was created by
Royal Assent on 18 April 2005. An independent prosecuting authority,
RCPO reports directly to the Attorney General, and is responsible for
prosecuting some of the largest drug and fraud cases in the UK.
* Anyone with information relating to smuggled goods should contact
HMRC's confidential hotline number on 0800 59 5000 or email:
customs.confidential@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk
Issued by HM Revenue & Customs Press Office
Website www.hmrc.gov.uk