Essex man jailed for £2.5 million drug smuggling attempt – UK Border Agency

“A 64-year-old man from Corringham, Essex has been sentenced to prison for 9 years and 4 months after pleading guilty to trying to import heroin and cocaine into the UK.”

Full press release

UK Border Agency, 31st March 2011

Source: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk

Drug runners to avoid prison under sentencing guidelines – Daily Telegraph

“Drug runners and small–scale dealers could escape prison even if caught with a 50–gram bag of cocaine or heroin or dozens of Ecstasy pills, under planned new guidance for courts.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 28th March 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Drug lord Curtis Warren’s conviction stands after supreme court rejects plea – The Guardian

“One of Britain’s most notorious drug dealers, Curtis Warren, has lost a legal battle that would have led to his conviction being overturned.”

Full story

The Guardian, 28th March 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Two sentenced over multi-million cannabis plot – UK Borders Agency

“Two members of a drug trafficking gang have been given prison sentences totalling 22 years for smuggling millions of pounds’ worth of cannabis into the UK.”

Full story

UK Borders Agency, 16th February 2011

Source: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk

Great Yarmouth drug dealers’ sentences increased – BBC News

“Two men jailed for supplying cocaine in Great Yarmouth have had their ‘unduly lenient’ sentences increased.”

Full story

BBC News, 20th Janaury 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Six jailed for smuggling cocaine on cruise ship – UK Border Agency

“Six Bulgarian and Lithuanian nationals have been jailed for a total of 87 years for attempting to smuggle approximately 35kg of cocaine, with an estimated street value of £1.4 million, into the UK aboard a cruise ship.”

Full press release

UK Border Agency, 11th January 2011

Source: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk

Croydon man jailed for heroin smuggling – UK Border Agency

“A Bulgarian man living in Croydon has been sentenced to 7 years in prison at Canterbury Crown Court after pleading guilty to heroin smuggling.”

Full press release

UK Border Agency, 17th December 2010

Source: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk

Al Hassan-Daniel and another v Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs – WLR Daily

Al Hassan-Daniel and another v Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs [2010] EWCA Civ 1443; [2010] WLR (D) 331

“There were perceptible and sound policy reasons why the defence of ex turpi causa non oritur actio did not form part of the Strasbourg jurisprudence, save when the matter came to just satisfaction. To introduce it into a claim under the Human Rights Act 1998 would be to create a barrier which citizens of other member states did not face.”

WLR Daily, 16th December 2010

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

Colombians jailed for Tilbury cocaine smuggling – UK Border Agency

“Two Colombian men who stowed away on a ship for 12 days in an attempt to smuggle 50 kg of cocaine across the Atlantic Ocean were jailed for 14 years on 24 November.”

Full press release

UK Border Agency, 25th November 2010

Source: www.ukba.homeoffice.org.uk

Plymouth couple jailed for dealing drugs – BBC News

“A Plymouth couple described by police as drugs dealers of the ‘highest level’ have been jailed.”

Full story

BBC News, 5th November 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Drug smuggler jailed for six years – UK Border Agency

“A drug smuggler has been jailed for 6 years after he was caught at Manchester Airport with cocaine and cannabis hidden in a cigarette carton.”

Full press release

UK Border Agency, 7th October 2010

Source: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk

Air stewardess jailed for cocaine smuggling – UK Border Agency

“A South African Airways flight attendant who tried to smuggle cocaine into the UK hidden in her bra and knickers has been jailed for 7 years.”

Full press release

UK Border Agency, 27th September 2010

Source: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk

Dutch crystal meth smugglers are jailed – UK Border Agency

“Two Dutchmen have been jailed for a total of 22 years after being found guilty of attempting to smuggle 3kg of methylamphetamine (known as ‘crystal meth’) into the UK.”

Full press release

UK Border Agency, 16th August 2010

Source: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk

Cocaine smuggler jailed for 20 years after drug-laced rum killed drinker – The Guardian

“A smuggler has been jailed for 20 years for the manslaughter of a taxi driver who died after unwittingly drinking a shot of rum from a bottle heavily laced with cocaine.”

Full story

The Guardian, 11th August 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

£30m heroin smuggler avoids deportation thanks to obscure law – Daily Telegraph

“A Turkish drug trafficker sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment for his role in one of Britain’s largest-ever heroin seizures cannot be deported because of an obscure European law.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 31st July 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Landmark ruling in drugs case – UK Border Agency

“A Spanish woman has been sentenced to nine years in prison in a landmark drug smuggling prosecution by the UK Border Agency.”

Full story

UK Border Agency, 6th July 2010

Source: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk

Royal Navy wren jailed for smuggling £2m of cocaine on warship – Daily Telegraph

“A Royal Navy wren who came to Britain as an asylum seeker has been jailed for seven-and-a-half years for smuggling £2 million worth of cocaine into the UK on board a warship.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 18th June 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Former detective jailed for 22 years over £200m cocaine-smuggling plot – Daily Telegraph

“A former detective who was ‘pivotal’ to the success of a £200 million cocaine-smuggling plot was jailed for 22 years.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 18th March 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Policeman faces jail over ‘dangerous conspiracy’ – The Independent

“An experienced but corrupt police officer faces jail today after being convicted of being at the centre of an ‘extremely dangerous conspiracy’. ”

Full story

The Independent, 12th March 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Last of heroin ring are sentenced – BBC News

“The last seven members of a drugs gang who conspired to transport heroin with a street value of £700,000 into south Wales have been sentenced.”

Full story

BBC News, 11th February 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Prison for £10m cocaine smugglers – BBC News

“A gang who used cash from robberies to fund the organised importation of cocaine with a street value of £10m into the UK have been jailed.”

Full story

BBC News, 18th January 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Men jailed over £33m Kent heroin deal – BBC News

“Three men have been jailed for their involvement in a £33m drug deal, after the UK’s largest ever heroin seizure.”

Full story

BBC News, 11th January 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Drug-smuggling pensioners jailed – BBC News

“Three pensioners involved in a £5m cannabis smuggling operation have been jailed.”

Full story

BBC News, 1st October 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Drug mule swallowed 106 cocaine packages – The Independent

“A man who swallowed 106 packages of cocaine to smuggle them into the UK was today starting a 10-year jail sentence.”

Full story

The Independent, 11th September 2009

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Laos drug conviction challenged – BBC News

“Lawyers representing a pregnant British woman convicted of drug smuggling in Laos have demanded her release, calling her trial there ‘a sham’.”

Full story

BBC News, 26th August 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Jailed drug dealer gets 18-year sentence for running cocaine ring from his cell – The Guardian

“Two prisoners ran an international cocaine ring from their jail cells in England and Panama, a court heard today.”

Full story

The Guardian, 18th August 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Men jailed over drugs and torture – BBC News

“Two men described as being ‘at the top of an evil pyramid’ of drug dealers who tortured their runners to make sure they obeyed, have been jailed.”

Full story

BBC News, 5th August 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Immigration rules are a drain on the country, says Judge Ian Trigger – Daily Telegraph

“Judge Ian Trigger has described Britain’s immigration system as ‘completely lax’ and claimed it partly contributed to rising national debt.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 29th July 2009

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Man jailed for trying to smuggle cocaine in trainers – UK Border Agency

“A Spanish man who tried to smuggle 2.8kg of cocaine – worth an estimated £112,000 – into the United Kingdom has been jailed for 11 years.”

Full press release

UK Border Agency, 22nd July 2009

Source: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk

Man jailed for role in drug ring – BBC News

“The first man to be extradited from Colombia to the UK has been jailed for five-and-a-half years for helping a drugs ring launder its huge profits.”

Full story

BBC News, 29th June 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Regina v Islam – Times Law Reports

Regina v Islam

House of Lords

“It was consistent with both the language and spirit of the statutory scheme for making confiscation orders for the importation of prohibited drugs to take account of the black market value of such drugs when valuing the benefit obtained by the defendant at the time of their illegal importation.”

Times Law Reports, 12th June 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

R v Islam – WLR Daily

R v Islam [2009] UKHL 30; [2009] WLR (D) 177

“When assessing the ‘market value’ of goods for the purposes of making a confiscation order under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, the court was not restricted to looking at the value of the goods in a legitimate market but was required to look at the nature of the goods and the context it which the assessment was being made. If the only market in which the goods in question could be bought and sold was an illegitimate one, the court was entitled to take account of the price which a willing buyer would pay to a willing seller in that illegitimate market in order to assess the benefit obtained by the defendant.”

WLR Daily, 10th June 2009

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

Former England cricketer Chris Lewis gets 13 years for cocaine smuggling – The Guardian

“Former England cricketer Chris Lewis was today jailed for 13 years for smuggling liquid cocaine valued at more than £140,000 into Britain hidden in fruit juice tins in his cricket bag.”

Full story

The Guardian, 20th May 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Data Protection Act should not be defamation substitute, says High Court judge – OUT-LAW.com

“The Data Protection Act should not be a backup plan in failed defamation cases, a High Court judge has said. Mr Justice Eady has rejected a claim that an allegedly libellous statement was also a breach of the privacy law.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 11th May 2009

Source: www.out-law.com

R v Briggs-Price – WLR Daily

R v Briggs-Price [2009] UKHL 19; [2009] WLR (D) 142

“A confiscation order could be made under the Drug Trafficking Act 1994 in respect of benefit derived from drug trafficking other than that of which the defendant had been convicted which had been established by evidence during the trial.”

WLR Daily, 1st May 2009

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

Regina v Briggs-Price – Times Law Reports

Regina v Briggs-Price

House of Lords

“A confiscation order could be made against a convicted drug trafficker in respect of benefit received from other drug trafficking which had not been charged on the indictment but which had been established by evidence during the trial.”

The Times, 30th April 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Regina v Winters – Times Law Reports

Regina v Winters

Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)

“For the purpose of making the required assumptions in order to determine whether a defendant had benefited from drug trafficking, the Crown was required to prove on the balance of probabilities that the defendant had made payments out of payments received by him in connection with his drug trafficking. Prima facie evidence that the defendant had incurred such expenditure was insufficient.”

The Times, 12th January 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.

R v Winters – WLR Daily

R v Winters:[2008] EWCA Crim 2953; [2008] WLR (D) 387

“For the purpose of making the required assumptions in relation to determining whether the defendant had benefited from drug trafficking, the Crown was required to prove on the balance of probabilities that expenditure on mortgage payments was incurred by the defendant out of payments received by him in connection with his drug trafficking. Prima facie evidence that the defendant had incurred such expenditure was insufficient.”

WLR Daily, 15th December 2008

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

Judge unaware of ‘bogus’ claims – BBC News

“A judge has said he would not have recommended two drug-smugglers be freed from jail if he had known details they gave of hidden guns had been bogus.”

Full story

BBC News, 3rd November 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Grandmother jailed for smuggling cocaine worth £1m into UK – The Guardian

“A grandmother who smuggled cocaine worth £1m into the UK in her mobility vehicle was today jailed along with her daughter for 13 years.”

Full story

The Guardian, 6th October 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Gibson v Revenue and Customs Prosecution Office – Times Law Reports

Gibson v Revenue and Customs Prosecution Office

Court of Appeal

“When a confiscation order was made against a convicted drug dealer, his wife was entitled to keep her 50 per cent interest in the matrimonial home, despite a finding in the confiscation proceedings that she had guilty knowledge of the source of her husband’s wealth. The court had no power to supplement the provisions of the Drug Trafficking Act 1994 so as to bring her share of the equity in the matrimonial home within the order.”

The Times, 14th July 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.

Gibson v Revenue and Customs Prosecution Office – WLR Daily

Gibson v Revenue and Customs Prosecution Office [2008] EWCA Civ 645; [2008] WLR (D) 189

“The wife of a convicted drug dealer was entitled to keep her interest in the matrimonial home despite a finding in confiscation proceedings that she had guilty knowledge of the source of her husband’s wealth. The Drug Trafficking Act 1994 did not give the court power to bring her share of the equity in the matrimonial home within the confiscation order, since the assets were hers without any court order in her favour.”

WLR Daily, 12th June 2008

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

Revealed: how drugs trade took hold of British prisons – The Guardian

“The government says it’s under control but a devastating new report reveals that a sophisticated new drugs trade is flooding British prisons with record levels of cocaine, cannabis and even heroin. In many cases it’s aided and abetted by corrupt prison guards. Jamie Doward reports.”

Full story

The Guardian, 8th June 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Major UK drug gang jailed – The Independent

“Five drug dealers, who pocketed millions flooding the country with amphetamines, cannabis, cocaine and ecstasy, were jailed for up to 14 years each today.”

Full story

The Independent, 23rd May 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk

R v Green – WLR Daily

R v Green [2008] UKHL 30; [2008] WLR (D) 152

“The Drug Trafficking Act 1994 fell to be construed without regard to legislation in other countries which had chosen to give effect to common international obligations in a different way.”

WLR Daily, 16th May 2008

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

Drugs sisters jailed for 39 years – BBC News

“Two sisters have been jailed for 39 years between them for attempting to smuggle heroin worth more than £5m into the UK through an Essex port.”

Full story

BBC News, 28th March 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Drug delivery grandmother jailed – BBC News

“A grandmother from Cornwall who delivered drugs in Plymouth and Truro has been jailed for six months after being caught with 10 kilos of cannabis.”

Full story

BBC News, 27th March 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Tougher measures for drug dealers – BBC News

“Suspected drug dealers’ assets could be seized on arrest, rather than charge, under ministers’ new drugs strategy.”

Full story

BBC News, 27th February 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Drug dealers to have assets seized on arrest – Daily Telegraph

“Police will be able to seize high-value assets from suspected drug dealers as soon as they are arrested under plans to be unveiled this week by Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 24th February 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Detection system criticised after ‘drug mule’ death – The Guardian

“The effectiveness of equipment and procedures designed to catch “drug mules” has been called into question following the case of a woman who died when bags of smuggled cocaine burst inside her body hours after hi-tech screening failed to pick up that she was carrying drugs.”

Full story

The Guardian, 10th December 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Ghanaian court finds British girls guilty of drug smuggling – The Guardian

“Two 16-year-old schoolgirls from north London are waiting to hear how long they must spend behind bars after being convicted in Ghana yesterday of attempting to smuggle cocaine worth £300,000 to Britain.”

Full story

The Guardian, 22nd November 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk 

Britain’s illegal drugs trade worth £8bn a year – The Independent

“Britain’s illegal drugs trade is worth up to £8bn a year, a Home Office report has revealed.”

Full story

The Independent, 21st November 2007

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Tougher prison sentences ‘have little impact on the flow of drugs’ – The Guardian

“The courts are handing out three times as much prison time for drug offences as a decade ago but such ‘get tough’ sentencing has done little to stem the flow of drugs on to the streets, where prices continue to fall, according to a study.”

Full story

The Guardian, 19th April 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Brain-damaged man faces death for drug smuggling – The Independent

“A naturalised Briton who suffered brain damage in the Vietnam War will be shot by firing squad unless Tony Blair intervenes in his appeal, according to lawyers representing him. ”

Full story

The Independent, 5th April 2007

Source: www.independent.co.uk