An Irish man has appeared in court in Wales after being caught trying to smuggle a multi-million-pound shipment of drugs through a North Wales port.
The Derry man, alongside two others, hid the massive haul of illegal substances on a lorry carrying supermarket goods.
All three men faced the Caernarfon Crown Court on Tuesday afternoon for the major drug seizure in order to receive their punishment.
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Derry-born Joseph Gray was joined in the dock before Judge Nicola Saffman by his co-conspirators who all faced a charge of being concerned in the evasion of prohibition/restriction on import.
These men were Usman Iqbal, of Bradleigh Avenue in Essex, and Moynul Hoque, of Lockwood House in London.
Prosecuting, Simon Mills, told the court how the trio were caught at the port of Holyhead, on Anglesey, at around 7.30 am on October 9, 2020. They were part of a wider conspiracy, he said, to supply cocaine on UK streets.
Border Force officers diverted a lorry, driven by Gray, that was carrying a variety of food items on pallets "destined for Tesco", the prosecutor said, including yoghurt and orange juice. The court heard how the Irishman was "clearly anxious" when stopped.
This anxiety seemed to get the better of him, Mr Mills said, when he told officers that there were things on board he "didn't put there". The court then heard what the officers uncovered.
In total, Gray was arrested after four boxes on board the lorry was found to contain 69 individual packages of high purity cocaine, each weighing about a kilo. The total street value was given to the court as about £5.5m (€6.5m).
It was said that the drugs had been picked up a day earlier from Hoque, 32, and Iqbal, 36. Handovers took place in the Bristol area, Mr Mills said. Both Hoque and Iqbal were arrested months later in December in France.
Initially, when questioned, the court heard that Gray thought he was transporting tobacco. He also denied knowing the two other men involved in the conspiracy.
Defending Gray, Simon Mintz, said that at the time of the crime Gray was living a relatively quiet life" working back in Northern Ireland on his family farm that was struggling in the wake of Covid-19. The court heard how he had supplemented his income through lorry driving.
The 53-year-old, who has been on remand in North Wales since his arrest 18 months ago, had reflected on the damage these substances cause. The court was told that Gray was "glad" none of the drugs made it onto the streets.
Defending Hoque, Jonathan Page, said that there is "no evidence" to suggest his client was "benefiting greatly" from being involved in this conspiracy. The court also heard how Hoque had no criminal history to his name, making his involvement "entirely out of character".
Defending Iqbal, Archangelo Power, said his client showed "a great deal of remorse" after being "drawn into" this act. He added that the dad-of-four lost his job during the pandemic but has since taken similar steps to the other men in order to better himself for his eventual release from prison.
Judge Nicola Saffman told the men were "clearly unsophisticated" in their operation. She added that there were "clearly" people higher up in the chain they were working under.
Sentencing each of the men to five years and seven months behind bars, she said: "You each performed a limited function, under direction. You had no influence on those above you in the chain and you had no clue of the magnitude of the operation.
"I've given you the maximum credit available as, quite frankly, I think you were so in over your heads here and you were entirely out of your depths.
The judge ordered the continued seizure of the drug haul - but not the destruction of it. She said this was in hopes that future co-conspirators that come to light are apprehended and dealt with.
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