Isle of Man holidaymaker who hid drugs in car wheel is jailed

Dewi Mitchell arrived on the Ben-my-Chree on 28 June

A holidaymaker who travelled to the Isle of Man with cocaine and cannabis hidden in his car on the first ferry to arrive after the easing of Covid border restrictions has been jailed.

Dewi Mitchell was caught after police became suspicious of a crisp tube full of cigarette papers in his car.

They went on to find £160 of cocaine and £276 of cannabis in sealed packets hidden in the spare wheel.

The 22-year-old was jailed for three years and four months.

He had previously admitted importing the drugs on 28 June at Douglas Courthouse.

Deemster Graeme Cook said while it was accepted the drugs were for personal use, he knew what he had done was illegal.

'Your choice'

The court heard Mitchell, of Ebbw Vale in Wales, had arrived on the island shortly after 06:00 BST in order to have some "chill time", and planned to return home three days later.

He told police he had the sealed crisp tube of papers because he did not know if they were legal on the island.

Prosecutors said that given the relatively small amounts of drugs it was accepted he had brought them to the island for personal use and had not intended to supply them to anyone else.

Deemster Cook said the method of concealment of the drugs showed he "knew it was illegal" and he had chosen to import them knowing that.

"It was your choice to make", he added.

Mitchell was also banned from visiting the island for five years following his release from prison.