A Wolverhampton
electrician caught at Gatwick Airport with £270,000 worth of cocaine
hidden inside three drink bottles has been jailed for four years.
Roy Grizzle, 53, of
Redhurst Drive, Fordhouses had just stepped off a flight from Montego
Bay, Jamaica when he was stopped by UK Border Agency officers.
The smuggling operation
has left the first-time offender's family shocked and baffled as to
why the father-of-three, who has never been in trouble before, should
become involved in such a risky and serious offence.
He pleaded guilty at
Croydon Crown Court (pictured) to being knowingly concerned in the importation
of 2.172 kilos of 63% pure cocaine on November 7, last year.
The drugs were secreted
within three bottles of aloe vera and Jamaican-born Grizzle tried to
talk his way out of trouble.
“He gave an account of
going to the St. James' area to sort out a property issue and had
gone to a shop in Sandy Bay to buy the drinks and did not know
anything about cocaine in them,” explained prosector Mr. Andrew
Ramsubhag.
Grizzle's lawyer Mr.
Kieron Berkeley said: “He was in Jamaica because he had been left
some property, not of any real value, and was administering those
affairs.
“He has no debts and is
not an alcoholic or drug-addict and the family are ashamed their
father is where he is.”
Grizzle has been in
custody since his arrest and not offered any real explanation for the
offence, added the lawyer.
“He has been inward
looking and gone within himself, but it is not clear to me what the
background to his offending is.”
Judge Jeremy Gold told
Grizzle: “It is a great shame to see a man of your age standing
across from me in a courtroom.
“You were living a
blameless life with your family, but have now committed this serious
offence.
“I can only assume that
it was done for money.”
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