Drugs mule jailed for smuggling £11k worth of cocaine

A man who smuggled £11,000 worth of cocaine into the Isle of Man on the ferry has been jailed for five years and eight months.

Adam Sullin, Carnarvon Road in Walton, from Liverpool, was arrested by police at the Sea Terminal after getting off the ferry in November.

Douglas Courthouse heard the 32-year-old told police he was visiting the island for a job opportunity but was unable to tell police where he was going to be staying.

Deemster Graeme Cook told him there was a "huge sign in Heysham Port" warning passengers of the penalties of importing drugs to the island.

The court heard Sullin had arrived on the island on the evening boat from Heysham at 18:00 GMT on 29 November.

When stopped by police he told them he had come over to work, but was only carrying one night’s worth of clothes.

He was subsequently searched and arrested on suspicion of the importation of Class A drugs.

Sullin was then taken to Nobles Hospital, where four separate packages of cocaine were recovered, valued at £11,070.

He told police that the drugs were "for personal use" before answering "no comment" to all questions.

Deemster Cook gave Sullin credit for his immediate guilty plea, but said his hands were "tied" regarding the length of the sentence because of the sentencing guidelines for Class A drugs.

He was also handed an exclusion order banning him from returning to the island for five years after his release.