Old Spanish Customs (2)

Importation of cannabis resin, street value £300
This might not get to court as Customs might impose a Compounded Penalty of a few hundred pounds and confiscate the drug. Before magistrates either a large fine or a shortish Community Punishment Order (80 hours?)

Importation of herbal cannabis, 1.3 kilos
This is just over the magistrates court limit of 1kg - a really good brief might be able to persuade the lower court to accept it, in which case six months. At Crown Court, nine months.

Importation of Cocaine, swallowed, 500 grams, street value £25,000 Definitely off to the Crown Court, five to eight years.

Importation of Cocaine in baggage, 5kg, street value £250,000 Crown Court of course, ten to twelve years.

Importation of Cocaine by Captain of freight aircraft - 290kg, street value at least £14 million. This one actually happened in 2002, and the pilot was one of the gang. Twenty years, two-thirds to be served before parole considered.

These sentences are all pretty severe, but the fact that street prices are dropping suggests that plenty of drugs are getting through.

Thanks for the comments - as you might expect those with inside knowledge were pretty much spot on!