FOUR men from the Camborne area have been jailed for helping to import up to £90,000 worth of drugs to Cornwall from China.
Aaron Lampshire, Martyn Couchman, Jonathon Taylor and Peter Cuffe were caught when customs officers intercepted parcels containing the illegal Class B substance methylone, known as NRG-2, at an airport.
Lee Bremridge, for the Crown Prosecution Service, told Truro Crown Court police found that money was being sent to China using Western Union branches in Cornwall between April 2010 and April 2012. It had come from the sale of NRG-2 and was being sent to buy more.
CCTV footage from the Western Union branches showed Lampshire and Couchman sending the money.
Customs officers at East Midlands Airport intercepted two packages bound for Cornwall on August 17, 2011, purported to contain the legal chemical ammonium polyphosphate, but tests revealed that they contained NRG-2.
At court, Mr Bremridge said: "Both packages were found to contain just under 250g of a white crystalline powder … the NRG-2 they found in both packages could be broken down to individual street deals [to the value of] just under £10,000."
The court heard that officers then found that UPS delivery records showed 14 other packages had been delivered to addresses in Cornwall between May to October that year, which were connected to the defendants.
Couchman, 35, of Pengwarras Road, Camborne, and Lampshire had admitted counts of conspiracy to import the drug, conspiracy to supply it and money laundering by transferring criminal property.
Lampshire, 36, of Manor Road, Camborne, also admitted being in possession of methylone, cannabis and the drugs TFMPP and BZP.
Taylor, 26, of Penrose Court, Tolvaddon, and Cuffe, 32, of Andrews Terrace, Four Lanes, admitted conspiracy to import NRG-2.
In October, a jury at Truro Crown Court had found Ryan Clapp, 26, of Redbrooke Road, and Brian Hendra, 28, of Trerice Road, not guilty of conspiracy to import the Class B drug.
Valerie Isaacs, 50, of Pengwarras Road, who the court heard was Couchman's partner, pleaded not guilty to the same offence. Her case was allowed to lie on the file. , not to be proceeded with, following Couchman's admissions.
Ramsay Quaife, defending Lampshire, said he was not well and had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.
Couchman, who represented himself after his legal team withdrew, said he had made efforts to change his life. He claimed that he had pleaded guilty on bad advice, and applied to have his plea changed, which was refused.
Jeremy Leaning, defending Taylor, said he was working as a digger driver and had limited involvement. in the conspiracy.
Robin Smith, defending Cuffe, said he had been addicted to amphetamine. He now had a job in construction. industry.
Judge Christopher Harvey Clark, QC, said an inference could be made from the evidence that the gang had imported approximately 4kg of NRG-2 with a street value of £80,000 to £90,000. The amount transferred to China was £22,000.
"The difference between the cost of the drugs and the potential street value indicates the rich pickings that those involved in this conspiracy were able to achieve."
Couchman received a sentence of five years; Lampshire three years and eight months; Taylor three years; and Cuffe 12 months.
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