Cheshire hauliers jailed for drug smuggling

FIVE former Cheshire hauliers have been jailed for drugs smuggling.

The gang – who ran transport businesses in Runcorn and Northwich – tried to smuggle 4.7 tonnes  of cannabis resin worth £13.5m into the country as cargo in lorries.

Jason Arnold, Gary Henderson, Ian Price, Nadeem Quershi and Ronnie Rothenburg ran  Ryack Transport (Hauliers) based in Northwich and Interfreight Logistics (Freight Forwarders) based at Preston Brook, Runcorn, Cheshire before they were caught by customs officials.

They were jailed for a total of 37 years, with Arnold sentenced to eight years, Henderson 11, Price six years, Quresh seven, and Rothenburg for five years.

Henderson, Price and Qureshi were found guilty at Southampton Crown Court this week  after a two month trial.  Arnold and Rothenburg pleaded guilty before the trial began. 

Price from Runcorn is on the run after absconding at the start of the trial.

The court heard that all those sentenced were directors, employees or drivers of a group of small and closely connected haulage companies based in Cheshire.

The investigation focused on three large drug smuggling attempts in Newhaven, Dover and Lille, France. In each case the drugs had been hidden inside apparently genuine cargo.

Upon sentencing His Honour Judge Burrell QC said: “This was an extremely highly organised enterprise which spanned 10 months with three known importations.

“I have come to the conclusion that significant industrial quantities [of drugs] were imported. The importations were cunning, the routes and entry points varied, the drivers were varied and a network of mobile phones used.

“I also acknowledge that a control centre was set up in Manchester to run the importations.”