A Portsmouth man accused of being part of a gang r
A Portsmouth man accused of being part of a gang running drugs told today (Friday) how he was ‘messed about’ over a simple pnds stlng 160 delivery job.
Paul Fisher said he twice made the journey from Hampshire to London to collect a load from an air freight company near Heathrow only to learn it was not at the warehouse.
He said he was ‘rather irate about the wasted journeys’ and insisted on expenses to cover the cost – the cash being paid by Turkish businessman Hayri Iyisan.
He also told his employer that he was ‘just the courier’ and Iyisan should sort the problem out.
But on the third occasion, the 32-year-old and a friend collected the large wooden crate containing an industrial food mixer, and drove it into London – little suspecting there was pnds stlng 420,000 of heroin hidden in a double lining.
He said he was planning to merely ‘drop off’ the load and return home.
‘I believed it would be put somewhere.
But where, I don’t know.
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Fisher said he did not examine the crate but realised it was heavy – and once at a rendezvous with Iyisan, realised it would not fit in the boot of the businessman’s car.
Instead, they agreed to follow the car to a small industrial site.
And Fisher denied there was conversation about dumping the mixer and ‘just taking the crate’.
The ‘chunky’ load arrived at London’s Heathrow Airport from Istanbul in February this year, but unknown to traffickers, the gang was being followed by Customs officers.
But alerted by the ‘strong smell’ of fresh varnish and woodstain, and also concealed holes in the crate, Customs had already discovered the 37 thin packages of drugs, weighing a total of more than 7kg, hidden in a ‘relatively sophisticated concealment.
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As a result, officers were trailing a white Renault van as it drove into London, made a rendezvous with paymasters at the Euston Square Hotel, and in convoy went to a small industrial estate in Holloway.
Iyisan, 54, of Windsor Road, Holloway, north London, this week changed his plea and admitted to being knowingly concerned in the importation following two weeks of prosecution evidence.
He will be sentenced at the end of the trial.
In the dock are Savas Georgiades, a 32-year-old Greek Cypriot, of St Albans Road, Kentish Town, nw London; 36-year-old Daniel Marsh, at the time living at Fratton Road, Fratton, but now Steerforth Close, Buckland, both Portsmouth ; and Paul Fisher, 32, also of the Portsmouth address in Fratton Road.
They all deny knowingly being involved in smuggling the drugs with others between February 15 and 23 this year.
Mr David Green, QC, said: ‘Each of these defendants were involved in the arrangements for the reception of the heroin in this country.
‘Iyisan must have been in direct contact with those who sent the drugs from Turkey.
‘He played an organisational role in the necessary arrangements and took steps to distance himself from what was going on.
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The barrister said Georgiades handled the contact with UK shippers Walker Freight Services at the airport and liaised with Fisher and Marsh, who collected the load in Fisher’s father’s van.
He said paperwork showed the load was sent from Turkey and was to be sent to Iyisan’s address – although under another name.
Mr Green told the court: ‘Customs officers examined the crate after its arrival.
‘The crate itself smelled very very strongly of varnish or woodstain and a series of holes had been drilled through the crate itself and filled with woodfiller.
‘Officers drilled a little pilot hole and that revealed a brown powder, heroin, hidden inside the crate’s double skin.
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As a result, Fisher and Marsh were trailed to London after collecting the load, and after a rendezvous, traveling behind Iyisan’s silver Audi to a small industrial site down an alley in the Holloway road adjacent to the National Youth Theatre.
Just yards away and moments earlier, Iyisan and a friend – who was never charged – left the car and went to the ‘On A Roll Cafe’.
‘Georgiades was arrested as he walked away from the car and holding a mobile ‘phone in each hand,’ said Mr Green.
‘It seems he was making a call at the time, he was calling the number of a Greek Cypriot baker and hoped to interest the baker in buying the industrial mixer.
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Marsh was arrested next to the van, in his possession was an identity card for his employers, a ship-cleaning company at Portsmouth docks – the same card was allegedly used by the two Portsmouth men as identity with a ‘badly typed’ letter of authorisation to collect the load.
Fisher was also arrested near the van.
On a piece of paper were written the name and address of the freight forwarders, their telephone number, the ‘airway bill’ for the load, the flight number and telephone number of Turkish Airlines.
Mr Green added: ‘For good measure he has his Lottery numbers written down as well.
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Quizzed over his role by Mr Green, Fisher denied he knew heroin was involved and ‘was to be paid a lot more than pnds stlng 160 for his involvement.
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Mr Green alleged: ‘You knew perfectly well what you were doing and what you were about – you knew perfectly well you were involved in the importation of heroin.
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Fisher replied: ‘No I did not.
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The trial continues.
ends
