3:10pm Saturday 4th September 2010
By Lauren Rogers
A LORRY driver who stashed drugs with a street value of more than £1 million in the back of his HGV has been jailed.
Drugs mule Stephen Toner was arrested when 150,000 pills and 70kg (152lbs) of cannabis were found hidden inside his lorry at Ferryfast Produce in Pershore.
Workers were loading apples into the trailer when a stash of pills came loose from the roof space on Wednesday, August 4.
It is believed to be the biggest drugs haul ever discovered in Worcestershire.
Toner, of Clougharevan Park in Newry, Northern Ireland, admitted possession with intent to supply Class A and Class C drugs.
At Worcester Crown Court yesterday Judge Patrick Thomas jailed the 27-year-old for nine years.
He also took away his driving licence for six years.
He told Toner: “You deliberately involved yourself in a serious crime. The reward you were going to get was very substantial, if only a fraction of what the drugs were worth, and you’ve said that you were prepared to do it again and again in order to pay off debts.
“You were not bullied or blackmailed into this. Nor are you someone who is easily led. Lorry drivers have got to realise that if they get involved in this sort of thing they will lose their livelihood as well as their licence.”
The pills, which had an estimated street value of £750,000, turned out to be a mixture of a class C drug called TFMPP.
Toner claimed he did not know about them until they were loaded on the lorry.
He said he considered dumping them but feared what would happen to his family if he arrived in Dublin without them.
The 69 bags of cannabis ‘skunk’ had an estimated street value of £400,000.
Speaking after the court case, acting detective chief inspector Andy Hughes from West Mercia Police’s Serious Organised Crime Unit said: “This is a substantial haul of controlled drugs in the West Mercia Police area.
“Every role in the drug dealing chain is an important one.
“The sentence of nine years reflects that and anyone considering getting involved in any way, shape or form should think again.”
He urged the public to remain vigilant and report anyone they believed to be drug dealing by calling 0300 3333000 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
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