Gang of drug runners has been jailed for trying to smuggle millions of pounds worth of cocaine through Portsmouth.The five-strong crew picked up the drugs in Spain and then ferried them in to the UK through the city's ferry port.They successfully brought in five loads of cocaine worth several millions of pounds over two years.
But on December 11, 2006, customs at Portsmouth stopped the gang's car and found 10kg of cocaine hidden in its fuel tank.Yesterday all five received jail sentences between them totalling 72 years.
Judge Harvey Clark QC said: 'Almost every day I see the consequences of cocaine and heroin addiction.'Such addiction wrecks and destroys people's lives.'It causes moral disintegration and untold misery to those involved.'So it is small wonder that the courts show no mercy to those being involved in the importation of these pernicious drugs.'Jeff Hajebrahim, 44, and Alan Austin, 55, were the brains behind the operation.They lived a life of luxury in Brazil while arranging for huge quantities of cocaine to be shipped in to Madrid from South America.The pair – along with Hajebrahim's cousin Poria Abraham, 24, and Ali Tavakolinia, 39 – would then arrange for them to be picked up.They would hide the drugs in the fuel tanks of Vauxhall Corsas and then either drive them up through Europe and in to the UK themselves, or enlist couriers.One courier was Louise Brindle, 33, who was stopped by customs officers as she arrived in Portsmouth.The drugs which were found were examined and had Hajebrahim's fingerprints on them.Further investigations led police to the other three conspirators.Hajebrahim was extradited from Brazil and went on trial with his co-defendants at the start of the year.All five were convicted at Bournemouth Crown Court of conspiracy to import class A drugs.Detective Superintendent Russ Middleton, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said: 'It was a complex investigation culminating in a lengthy trial and I would like to thank everyone involved for their hard work and dedication in securing these convictions.'
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