Man caught with £100k cannabis in suitcase jailed

36-year-old was 'nervous' at Ronaldsway Airport

Report by BBC Isle of Man:

A man caught with more than £116,000 of cannabis hidden in a suitcase after arriving at the Isle of Man Airport has been jailed for three years and four months.

Police arrested Richard Cain in January after sniffer dogs identified a bag on the arrivals conveyor belt as being suspicious.

Douglas Courthouse heard police noticed the 36-year-old, from Prestwich in Manchester, appeared "nervous" and "pale" when waiting in the baggage reclaim area.

Deemster Graeme Cook said given the quantity of the drug there "must be some links to organised crime".

The court heard officers were carrying out checks at the airport as part of Operation Fortress when sniffer dogs identified the hard-shell suitcase.

Cain was arrested after he collected it from the conveyor belt in the baggage reclaim area.

He was searched by the officer and the lock on the suitcase was broken open to reveal more than 11lbs (5kgs) of cannabis inside.

Cain pleaded guilty to importing cannabis to the Island and possession of the drug with intent to supply.

The prosecutor said it was unlikely Cain could have come into possession of such a large amount of the drug "without being linked to a larger organised crime group".

The court heard Cain had told police he had brought money to and from the Island in the past but this was his first time transporting drugs.

His defence advocate said he had become involved after getting himself into debt to fuel a cocaine addiction.

Deemster Cook also banned Cain from returning to the Island for five years following his release.