Trio jailed after class A drugs found in pallet of rasberry sorbet in Bilsthorpe
Millions of pounds worth of imported class A drugs were found hidden inside a pallet load of raspberry sorbet in Bilsthorpe. Watch more of our videos on Shots! and live on Freeview channel 276
The mammoth haul – containing 39 kilogrammes of cocaine and 18kg of heroin – had been unloaded and stored at a frozen food warehouse unit in Bilsthorpe, Nottinghamshire. The consignment – believed to be the biggest drugs seizure in Nottinghamshire[2] for many years – was stowed in a lorry trailer after 26 pallets of frozen yoghurt ice cream had been collected from a factory in Wellens, Belgium.
From there, the load was moved on to the town Hook of Holland, before being shipped to the UK on August 10, 2017.
John Brown, John Madden and William Morritt were jailed for a combined total of 54 years.
Photo: Nottinghamshire Police
The lorry was followed by Border Force officers after it left the Port of Immingham, on the east coast of England, the following day. They remained in convoy with the vehicle as it arrived in Bilsthorpe. When police searched the unloaded consignment, on August 14, 2017, they found a concealed compartment in one of the pallets which contained the drugs.
Following a detailed investigation, a number of suspects were subsequently arrested, interviewed, and charged in connection with the massive drugs seizure.
The drugs were found hidden in a pallet of raspberry sorbet ice cream.
Photo: Nottinghamshire Police
Five people went on to be convicted of offences.