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Drug haulier gets 14 years
Page 7
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'I'HE OWNER of a Kent-based haulage firm and one of his drivers have each been jailed for 14 years after smuggling more than .E9m worth of drugs through Dover.
The future of Al Iround Freight in Erith now looks uncertain after MD Richard Booth, was sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court. The freight forwarder and haulage firm, which made a profit of £13,805 on a turnover of £310,000 for the period ending 30 June 2004, would not comment on the result nor its trading plans.
An Allround artic driven by Robert Long was stopped by Customs officers in Dover Port in July 2003.A search uncovered a hiding place within the floor of the trailer, described by officers as -trays on wheels". Inside were huge quantities of ecstacy,cocaine and cannabis.
Long had initially suggested the drugs were there when the trailer was purchased, though he later pleaded guilty to smuggling. Booth was arrested at his home in Erith.lnitially he stated the trailer did not belong to him and had been obtained at the instigation of Long. However, he was later charged with smuggling the drugs into the country.
Despite maintaining his inno cence Booth was found guilty and jailed for 14 years, along with Long.
A Customs spokesman says: "Customs are very pleased with the outcome of the case.
-Due to the vigilance and hard work of our offices at Dover we have prevented a large quantity of class A drugs from reaching the streets of the UK"