Trio led police to largest heroin and cocaine seizure

Michael Ball was jailed for 19 years and 6 months

Three men have been jailed for their involvement in what police described as the Isle of Man's largest ever Class A drug seizure - hidden in the spare tyre of a van.

Michael Ball, 42, was handed a sentence of 19 years and six months after smuggling about £750,000 of heroin and cocaine to the island in October 2023.

The tyre was passed on to Justin Fayle, who removed the drugs at his home address in Douglas and gave them to David Alsop, who was later found with two wraps of heroin and five wraps of cocaine in his car.

Jailing Fayle for 11 years and six months and Alsop for 12 years, Deemster Graeme Cook said a message needed to be sent that those involved in organised crime would "suffer the consequences".

The court heard the heroin had a street value of up to £499,000, while the value of cocaine was up to £249,000.

David Alsop was jailed for 12 years

Douglas Courthouse heard how Ball, of Old Mill Lane, was spotted sleeping in a white Mercedes van with the engine running on King Edward Road in the early hours of 23 October 2023, having arrived on an evening ferry to the island.

While a police search of the van found nothing, it was noted that a spare tyre was strapped to the bottom of the vehicle.

That afternoon, an Audi parked outside Castle Mona was searched, driven by Alsop of Ballacottier Meadows with multiple wraps of drugs stashed in a plastic bag in the glove compartment along with a mobile phone, the court was told.

Justin Fayle was jailed for 11 years and 6 months

Police, who had monitored the movement of the vehicle, later attended Fayle's address in Lheannag Park and found a tyre in the hallway that had been cut with a knife, the court heard.

Officers returned to the white van they had searched and found the spare tyre was gone, as well as a hand written note with the address of Fayle.

All three men were arrested the same day.

Ball was convicted at trial for the importation of heroin and cocaine as well as the supply of heroin and cocaine.

Fayle had pleaded guilty to the supply of heroin and cocaine, while Alsop admitted possession with intent to supply the drugs.

Deemster Cook told the court it was the largest amount of drugs he had passed sentences for and he could not "overemphasise" the misery the substances caused.

Det Insp Jamie Tomlinson, of Isle of Man Constabulary, said it was the island's "largest ever single seizure of Class A drugs" and showed the "risks criminals were now willing to take".