Two men who smuggled more than £500,000 worth of cocaine and speed into the UK in the shafts of golf clubs have been jailed.
Gray Elcombe and Glen Henderson, both 40, were caught after Border Agency officials caught wind of the duo’s dealings in September of last year and tipped off Kent Police.
Officers from the force’s serious and organised crime group followed the drug-filled clubs to a property in Farleight Hill, Tovil, Maidstone, and carried out a raid in November.
They found the clubs hidden in the loft, which had been converted into a high-spec drugs production factory, where amphetamine sulphate, commonly known as speed, was being produced and other drugs ‘cut up’.
Further sets of golf clubs, that were believed to have been imported into the UK in June 2009, were also found in the loft.
A large amount of chemicals were found secreted in the shafts of the clubs.
These chemicals would be used to 'cut' the cocaine up, in order to increase its value when sold on.
Police also discovered multi kilos of other 'cutting agents' in the loft along with multi kilos of Amphetamine Sulphate commonly known as 'speed'.
Large quantities of Amphetmine was also found in Henderson's bedroom and in various locations on the ground floor of the property.
A kilo of the drug was also found in a vehicle outside the premise, used by Elcombe and Henderson, ready to be taken to a customer.
There was also more than one-and-a-half kilos of `Skunk' Cannabis seized from Henderson's bedroom. This formed part of the Class B, conspiracy to supply drugs charge.
In Elcombe's bedroom officers found, locked in a bedside cabinet, a large amount of cash.
The value of the drugs seized totalled in excess of half-a-million pounds.
The pair, both from Greenway Forstal, Hollingbourne, appeared at Maidstone Crown Court on Friday, March 5.
They pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply 28kg amphetamine sulphate and 3.12kg of cocaine.
Henderson fully admitted his part in the organised set up of drug supply and stated that he was working for Elcombe who was the person organising the supply.
Elcombe was sentenced to four years and four months while Henderson was sentenced to four years behind bars.
Detective Sergeant Paul Irwin said: "This was a good example of how Kent Police worked with the UK Border Agency to deal with an organised crime group set up to supply harmful drugs into our Kent communities.
"Both defendants had been determined in obtaining the cocaine hidden in the golf clubs that would have netted them considerable profit.
"Kent Serious and Organised Crime Group are committed to dismantling any organised crime group impacting on, or operating in Kent."
POSTED: 09/03/2010 13:19:55
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