Men caught with £267k of cannabis in van jailed

The drugs were found in Christopher Parker's van

A landscape gardener who was caught with more than £267,000 of cannabis in his van has been jailed for five years.

Christopher Parker, 43, had been seen transferring the drugs in black bin bags from another man's van at a petrol station in Onchan.

Douglas Courthouse heard more cannabis and £33,000 in criminal cash was also found at his home address in Onchan.

Bilal Moghal, 64, was jailed for four years and eight months for bringing the drugs to the island.

The court heard Parker parked his Black Volkswagen Transporter in a secluded area at Corkills Garage in Onchan at about 09:25 BST on 3 September before getting into the passenger seat of Moghal's rented white Vauxhall Crafter.

The two men then transferred several packages from the Vauxhall to the Volkswagen before both drove away.

When approached by police as he arrived at his home on Fairfield Avenue Parker admitted there were drugs in the van but said he did not know how much they were worth.

A search of his home uncovered £7,962 of cannabis in jars and drug paraphernalia, including weighing scales, in a plastic container in the kitchen.

The cash and a further £13,000 of the drug were found hidden in a blue plastic tub behind some grass cuttings near a hedge in the back garden.

Parker told police he had been paid £500 to collect and hold on to the drugs and cash for someone else.

He said he intended to use the money to pay vets bills after having to have his dog put to sleep two days before.

Bilal Mohal and Christopher Parker admitted the offences at Douglas Courthouse

When arrested Moghal, of Jennison Close in Manchester, initially claimed he had travelled to the island the previous day to deliver takeaway packaging items to a restaurant but the owner had turned him away.

Investigations found that he had spent more than £900 on a ferry ticket to travel to the island with the van, the cost of which far outweighed the value of the goods he was carrying.

He later admitted agreeing to transport the drugs on behalf of someone else for £5,000, which he was going to use to pay off debts and make a contribution to the cost of his son's wedding.

Moghal later admitted importing cannabis to the island and possession of the drug with intent to supply, while Parker pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of cannabis with intent to supply and possession of criminal cash.

Jailing the pair, Deemster Graeme Cook said it was clear that they had both become involved in the drugs trade at the "behest of someone else".

Moghal was also handed an exclusion order which bans him from returning to the island for five years.