Durham Tees Valley Airport cocaine smuggler jailed
05.09.07
A Danish businessman who tried to smuggle cocaine through Durham Tees Valley Airport has been jailed. Customs officers found the cocaine, which had a street value of £300,000, on 20 December after searching a suitcase, which was stuffed with paper tissues, napkins and towels.
The drugs were discovered when Jan Dedichen, 65, flew into the airport after travelling from Kenya. At Teesside Crown Court on Tuesday, he admitted knowingly possessing and importing cocaine and was sentenced to eight-and-a-half years year in jail. The £2,400 in cash he had on him was also confiscated and ordered to be paid towards the cost of the case.
Mr. Dedichen, who runs a company involved in the African biofuels industry, was planning to travel on to London to link up with a senior figure in the drugs ring, according to the prosecution.
The court heard that he had made nine previous flights to the UK using the regional airports of Humberside, Leeds-Bradford and Durham Tees Valley. Jailing Mr. Dedichen, Judge John Walford called for a tightening-up of boarder controls at regional airports.
Add to: del.icio.us | Digg it | Newsvine | NowPublic | Reddit
To book a durham tees valley airport hotel or durham tees valley airport car parking at the lowest price click on these links to durham tees valley airport parking and durham tees valley airport hotel price comparison websites.
