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Haulage boss jailed for huge drugs stash
Page 8
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11 by Chris Tindall
A haulage boss has been jailed for smuggling drugs with a street value of more than £1m and attempting to launder the proceeds, Victor Davies, of Liverpool-based Vic Davies Transport, was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment at Bolton Crown Court for his part in smuggling 1/kg of heroin and cocaine in the airtank of a tractor from Europe.
Truck driver Michael Hatton was also found guilty of attempting to launder the proceeds of the drug smu ling.
A warrant was made for Hatton's arrest after he failed to turn up in court but he later handed himself in to police. He was sentenced to 10 months' imprisonment. Another man, mechanic Thomas Bradley, was found not guilty on both counts.
In May last year Customs officers co-operated with Belgian police to track the truck laden with drugs across Europe and back to Liverpool, where Davies' premises were searched. Davies, Hatton and Bradley were then arrested. Later investigations of the company's accounts showed thousands of pounds were unaccounted for.
Customs says it is satisfied with the result: "We hope that the 12-year sentence sends out the right message to others who may be tempted to try this in the future."
A spokesman for Vic Davies Transport refused to comment as to the future of the business.
111 Four men are to appear before Bolton Magistrates later this month following the discovery by police of a huge stash of cocaine and heroin in a lorry.
The men were arrested as part of a sevenmonth police and Customs investigation after 250k of the Class A drugs, plus amphetamines and cannabis, were found in chemical drums in the truck.