Dealer jailed for 21 years for part in drugs plot

McHarrie was also linked to £600,000 of criminal cash

Report by BBC Isle of Man

A drug dealer has been jailed for 21 years and nine months for his involvement in the importation of cocaine and cannabis to the Isle of Man and laundering £600,000 of drugs money.

Leroy McHarrie, 25, was the last of six men to be jailed for smuggling £78,000 of cannabis and almost £100,000 of cocaine to the island in a car boot in June 2022.

Douglas Courthouse heard McHarrie was linked to £623,501 of criminal cash put through 17 bank accounts linked to him or companies he was the beneficial owner of between January 2020 to May 2023.

James Spotswood and Matthew Woods were previously jailed for 15 years and 18 years respectively for their roles in the car plot.

McHarrie was found guilty of being concerned in the importation of cocaine and being concerned in the importation of cannabis after a trial in July.

The court heard McHarrie had pleaded guilty to separate charges of importing cannabis and cocaine, after he was linked to two parcels sent from the UK to the Isle of Man, and 16 charges of money laundering.

In September 2022, a package containing £19,380 of cannabis that was intercepted at the postal sorting office was found to have his finger prints on the wrapping.

The court was told that was followed by a second package being intercepted in October the same year containing £15,900 of cocaine, which he was found to have posted.

Douglas Courthouse heard the 25-year-old was found to have involved three other people in the money laundering scheme, who were also sentenced at Friday's hearing.

The court heard Mohammed Hoosen, 27, had transferred £190,356 of "unexplained deposits" into five bank accounts over a period of two years between May 2021 and June 2023, which were then transferred into accounts controlled by McHarrie or through his companies.

Records had shown Mark Lucas, 37, had used two bank accounts to transfer £293,653 to other accounts or companies between December 2021 to July 2023.

And Debbie Kidger-Preston, 48, moved £250,999 into the accounts between January 2022 to July 2023.

Hoosen was jailed for 20 months, Lucas for 22 months, and Debbie Kidger-Preston was handed a 20 month sentence, suspended for two years.

Deemster Graeme Cook described each of the trio as a "money mule".

With all "criminal enterprises", the principal offenders "need people who are prepared to risk capture and consequent sentences" and there needed to be "some form of deterrence".

Speaking after the hearing, Det Con Jamie Tomlinson said the case illustrated that the work carried out at the ports was "making it even more difficult for criminals to bring their illegal commodities into our island".

He said the message to those involved with illegal drug activity on the island or sending drugs from the UK could "expect significant custodial sentences here on island as can be seen in this case".