Long jail term for Durham Tees Valley Airport drug smuggler
05.09.07
A Danish businessman who tried to smuggle cocaine into the UK via Durham Tees Valley Airport - and had travelled to the UK via small regional airports nine times before - has received a long jail sentence. Customs officers found the cocaine with a street value of £300,000 on 20 December, after searching a suitcase.
The drugs were discovered when Jan Dedichen, 65, flew into the airport after travelling from Kenya via Paris. At Teesside Crown Court yesterday he admitted knowingly possessing and importing cocaine and was sentenced to eight-and-a-half years year in jail. The £2,400 in cash he had on him at the time was also confiscated and ordered to be paid towards the cost of the case.
Mr. Dedichen, who runs a company involved in the African biofuels industry, was planning to travel on to London to link up with a senior figure in the drugs ring, according to the prosecution.
The court heard that he had made 9 previous flights to the UK, each time using the smaller regional airports including Humberside, Leeds Bradford and Durham Tees Valley. Jailing him, Judge John Walford called for a tightening-up of boarder controls at regional airports.
Add to: del.icio.us | Digg it | Newsvine | NowPublic | Reddit
To book a durham tees valley airport hotel or durham tees valley airport car parking at the lowest price click on these links to durham tees valley airport parking and durham tees valley airport hotels price comparison websites.
