A father has been jailed after he tried to use his three children as cover for an international £2m heroin smuggling plot.
Michael Sloan, 42, from Ormskirk, Lancashire was stopped as he drove his partner and three children – aged between one and six – through Dover Eastern Docks in December 2019.
He told Border Force officers they were driving back from a family holiday to see German Christmas markets in the German city of Cologne.
However, suspicious officers called in a drug detection dogs who found 20kgs heroin hidden in a secret box.
Michael Sloan explained to Border Force agents that he was on his way back from a family vacation in order to view German Christmas markets.
However, suspicious officers called in a drug detection dogs who found 20kgs heroin in secret compartments.
The drugs of Class A were concealed in an area in the Volkswagen van’s rear.
The purity of the heroin was found to be between 44% and 59% and, once adulterated, would have had a street value of £1.98m.
The discovery of the drugs led to the National Crime Agency’s involvement and investigators identified that the compartment the drugs were hidden in had been built into the van after Sloan had bought it.
Yesterday Sloan pleaded guilty in Canterbury Crown Court to smuggling Class-A drugs and was sentenced for six years and four month.
They were concealed in a compartment built specifically for them in the Volkswagen van’s rear.
Mark Howes, NCA Branch Commander said that Sloan used his children and partner as cover in order to bring class A drugs into Britain.
Sloan believed that traveling with his family would reduce the likelihood of them being stopped.
The ‘heroin’ is linked to the violence and exploitation of county lines. Border Force partners with us closely to stop those who try to bring it in.