Two drug traffickers who smuggled pnds stlg 80,000

Two drug traffickers who smuggled pnds stlg 80,000 worth of
Columbian cocaine concealed in hard-cover books into London have been
jailed for a total of 13 years.

After nearly four hours of deliberation the jury found Roger
Zoppola (correct) – who sat next to the dock in his wheelchair – and
Wilmam Mora-Pontiluis (correct) guilty of importing the class A drug on
or about August 26, 1991.

A woman believed to be the sister of Zoppola burst into tears in
the public gallery as the jury at Southwark Crown Court returned
majority verdicts.

During the trial Zoppola’s wife, Christine Zoppola, was
cleared on the judge’s direction.

Recorder Mrs Jacqueline Comyns told the pair: ‘The
level of drug trafficking in this country is becoming quite
extraordinary.

‘It is so easy to send through the post substances which when
dealt with on the street cause people to become addicted and ruin
their lives.

‘In this case the amount of cocaine was just under pnds stlg
80,000 when broken down and sold on the street.

‘
She jailed father of two Zoppola for six years after
taking into account his disabilities.

Mora-Pontiluis got seven years with a recommendation for his
deportation back to Spain on completion of his sentence.

Defending Zoppola, who is paralysed from the middle of his chest
downwards, Miss Sandra Stanfield had urged the recorder to take into
account ‘the extraordinary personal difficulties he is going to face
in prison.

‘
Mr Oscar Delfabro (correct) defending Mora-Pontiluis, told the
court: ‘He is on his own in this country and does not speak the
language.

‘
Counsel added: ‘He won’t have the oppurtunity of frequent visits
from those close to him.

It will be a long and difficult term for
him.

‘
Giving evidence during the case both Zoppola and Mora-Pontiluis
had claimed that they were concerned in importing gold into England
and had no idea that the package concerned contained drugs.

The court had heard that hard-cover books were used to
smuggle the top-grade Colombian cocaine into London.

Customs officers found the drug after examining
the parcel, which was sent by DHL Worldwide Express courier from
Colombia to Heathrow Airport on August 26, 1991, the jury heard.

‘It was a sophisticated concealment,’ said prosecutor Mr
Dominic Grieve.

The jury heard that the parcel was addressed to a Mr
Anhar Riaz Patel at 41 Oban House, Wheelers Cross, Barking,
Essex.

Customs officers reconstituted the parcel, inserting an
electronic tracking device, and carried out a controlled
delivery.

An officer, disguised as a DHL courier, delivered the
parcel to the council flat address the next day on August 27.

A woman at the flat signed for the parcel using the name
Mrs Patel, the jury heard.

Mr Grieve said that woman was 28-year-old Mrs Zoppola.

She was arrested taking the parcel to her husband in
hospital – but insisted she knew nothing about drugs.

She told officers her husband was expecting a parcel from
Colombia that week in the name of Patel.

She said she did not know anything about the contents of
the parcel.

Zoppola, 36, was a patient in the rehabilitation unit for
paraplegics following a serious accident in Colombia in
April that year, the court heard.

Zoppola’s cousin, Mora-Pontiluis, 34, was with Zoppola at
the hospital, the jury heard.

Watched by Customs officers, Mrs Zoppola left the parcel
on Mr Zoppola’s bed while he and Mora-Pontiluis were in the
phsyiotherapy room, the court heard.

‘She went and told the other two men the parcel was on
Mr Zoppola’s bed in his room,’ said counsel.

‘Mora-Pontiluis was seen returning to the room.

‘
After he opened the parcel, Customs officers swooped and
arrested him, the jury heard.

‘It was clear he did not speak English very well,’ said
Mr Grieve.

The room was searched and Customs officers found a two-
month-old letter in Spanish from Mora-Pontiluis in Madrid to
Roger Zoppola referring to the Colombian parcel.

‘The importation was set up by Mora-Pontiluis
in Madrid and Roger Zoppola in London,’ said Mr Grieve.

The jury heard that a Mr Patel was the previous occupant
of the Zoppola’s council flat at Oban House.

When interviewed by Customs officers, Christine Zoppola
said she signed for the parcel using a false name to avoid
confusing the courier, the court heard.

‘She continuously denied knowing the contents of the
parcel,’ said Mr Grieve.

Mora-Pontiluis, who was staying with a friend at Tennant
House, Bromley-By-Bow, east London, said he came to London as
part of a trip to ‘get to know’ European countries, but
otherwise exercised his right to remain silent when questioned.

Zoppola, who lives with his wife and two children
at Oban House, Wheelers Cross, Barking, Essex, also refused to
answer any questions, which was his right.

All three denied importing a class A drug on or
about August 26, 1991.

ENDS