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Pair aged 70 deny smuggling drugs | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Two 70-year-olds helped flood Britain with cannabis with a value of millions of pounds, disguised as frozen chicken imports, Southwark Crown Court heard. | |
Londonders Derek Mercer, of Sandown Road, South Norwood, and John Rowe, of Mansford Street, Bethnal Green, deny smuggling drugs on or before 16 March. | |
The prosecution alleges a gang of five transported the Dutch consignments from Bury St Edmunds to Grays in Essex. | |
The court heard three other men have admitted taking part in the operation. | The court heard three other men have admitted taking part in the operation. |
Andrew Marshall, prosecuting, said after importation the next stage was to "very quickly distribute" the Class B drug to customers so "the evidence disappears". | |
Police tracked gang | Police tracked gang |
Mr Marshall said police spent some time secretly tracking the gang's movements before raiding Mr Mercer's haulage company nearly six months ago. | Mr Marshall said police spent some time secretly tracking the gang's movements before raiding Mr Mercer's haulage company nearly six months ago. |
There, he said, police arrested Mr Mercer and Mr Rowe along with Patrick Maloney, 51, of Turquand Street, Southwark; Russ O'Cuneff, 51, of Glengarnock Avenue, Poplar; and Wattie Soutter, 68, of Raymouth Road, Rotherhithe, all in London. | |
It is really a significant drug smuggling enterprise Andrew Marshall, prosecuting | |
The prosecution claims a search uncovered 1.4 tonnes of cannabis worth millions of pounds in Mercer's warehouse "waiting for the customers". | The prosecution claims a search uncovered 1.4 tonnes of cannabis worth millions of pounds in Mercer's warehouse "waiting for the customers". |
A further 882lb (400kg) was recovered from Soutter's van, while 132lb (60kg) of the more potent "skunk" form of the drug was allegedly found in Rowe's Volvo Estate, the court heard. | |
Mr Marshall said: "It is really a significant drug smuggling enterprise." | Mr Marshall said: "It is really a significant drug smuggling enterprise." |
He told jurors that of the two on trial only Mercer answered questions when interviewed. | He told jurors that of the two on trial only Mercer answered questions when interviewed. |
The haulage company boss told officers he had been approached three weeks earlier by someone he knew only as Tony for the use of his yard for a "loading and unloading" exercise. | The haulage company boss told officers he had been approached three weeks earlier by someone he knew only as Tony for the use of his yard for a "loading and unloading" exercise. |
He maintained that after being offered £500 for his trouble, he asked if there was anything "iffy" going on, but was assured everything was above board, the court heard. | |
"I didn't really know it was drugs, I can tell you that," he added. | "I didn't really know it was drugs, I can tell you that," he added. |
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