THE THREE DEFENDANTS AGREED WITH POLICE EVIDENCE A

THE THREE DEFENDANTS AGREED WITH POLICE EVIDENCE ABOUT THEIR

ACTIVITIES UNDER OBSERVATION BUT DENIED THEY KNEW ANYTHING OF THE

MASSIVE LOAD OF CANNABIS HIDDEN IN THE ROOF OF THE DUTCH CARAVAN.

THE COURT HEARD THAT FARRANT AND WARNES HAD FLOWN TO

HOLLAND ON JUNE 25 LAST YEAR – THREE DAYS BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF THE

MOBILE HOME.

ON JUNE 22 BULLEN ALSO WENT TO AMSTERDAM.

THE JURY HEARD HE

WAS AT THE AIRPORT FOR ONLY ONE HOUR BEFORE CATCHING THE SAME PLANE

BACK TO LONDON.

DURING THAT TIME HE HANDED OVER #16,000 TO AN

UNKNOWN MAN.

IN EVIDENCE BULLEN CLAIMED HE HAD DELIVERED THE MONEY FOR

HIS EMPLOYER APAYMENT FOR A BOAT.

FARRANT TOLD THE JURY HE HAD ORIGINALLY ARRANGED TO BECOME

THE MAIN DEALER FOR THE DUTCH CARAVAN MAKERS IN BRITAIN.

BUT SEVEN

DAYS BEFORE THE FIRST DELIVERY HE CANCELLED THE DEAL BECAUSE HE

REALISED THE HUGE 10.

6 METER LONG BY 3.

6 METER WIDE MOBILE HOME WOULD

NOT FIT INTO HIS YARD.

THE COURT HEARD THAT THE DUTCH HAULAGE ASSOCIATION, INFORMED

OF THE DELIVERY, HAD CONTACTED SCOTLAND YARD FOR PERMISSION TO DRIVE

THE UNUSUALLY LARGE VEHICLE THROUGH LONDON.

WARNES TOLD THE JURY THE DEAL WAS TAKEN UP BY A FRIEND NAMED

EDWARDS WHO ASKED HIM TO HELP BY STORING THE CARAVAN IN HIS CATFORD

YARD AND HE AGREED.

POLICE HAD BEEN UNABLE TO TRACE THE FRIEND.

THE THREE MEN WERE ARRESTED AFTER CUSTOMS OFFICERS SAW THEM

PUSHING THE VEHICLE INTO WARNES’ YARD ON JUNE 28.

BUSHES AND IRON

GATES HAD TO BE REMOVED TO GET IT IN, THE JURY WAS TOLD.

EXPLAINING THEIR VISIT TO AMSTERDAM THREE DAYS PREVIOUSLY

AND AFTER FARRANT HAD WITHDRAWN FROM THE DEAL, HE AND WARNES SAID

THEY WERE MAKING A SOCIAL VISIT WHICH HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE

DELIVERY OF THE CARAVAN.

BULLEN, WHO WAS SEEN BY CUSTOMS OFFICERS, TO MEET THE

CARAVAN AT FELIXSTOWE AND LATER ESCORTED IT TO THE CATFORD YARD,

MAINTAINED THAT HE WAS ACTING ON HIS EMPLOYER’S INSTRUCTIONS.

ALL THREE INSISTED THEY KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THE 3/4 TON OF

CANNABIS PACKED INTO THE ROOF OF THE VEHICLE.

THEY HAVE PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO BEING CONCERNED IN THE

ILLEGAL IMPORTATION OF DRUGS.

ENDS.

HOLMES, 46, DIRECTOR OF ALPINE DEMOLITION, 305 LOWER ROAD, DEPTFORD,

WHO LIVES AT CASTLE HILL, FAWKHAM, DARTFORD, KENT, HAS PLEADED GUILTY

TO IMPORTING THE DRUGS.