MAN GETS 6 YEARS ON IEP5M HEROIN HAUL

A man who imported the largest amount of heroin seized in the State for a
major Dublin drugs gang has been jailed for six years by Judge Michael White.

Gary Blake (31), Copster Place, Oldham, Manchester, had pleaded guilty at
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to importing IEP5 million of heroin into Dun
Laoghaire port on October 31st, 1998.

A co-accused, Robert Russell (33), of Glenhurst Crescent, Oldham, was jailed
for six years by Judge Elizabeth Dunne on March 12th last for importing the
18.5 kg of heroin. His sentence is to be reviewed in October 2001.

Earlier, the court was told the gang leaders were based in Manchester at the
time and paid their couriers, Blake and Russell, 2,500 pounds for each cache
they carried to their Dublin counterparts.

Det Sgt Greg Sheehan had told Mr Fergal Foley, prosecuting, that Blake and
Russell hid the heroin in two hired Ford Mondeo cars and then persuaded
their girl friends to act as "camouflage" on their ferry trip to Dun
Laoghaire. Det Sgt Sheehan said the women had been aware something was going
on but did not understand the scale of the operation. Both men had become
involved in importing heroin after getting into financial difficulties with
a business they had started in Manchester.

Gardai had arrested them at the Royal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire, and
recovered 18.5 kgs of heroin with a street value of IEP5 million. The heroin
had been concealed in the rear-door panels of both cars.

A total of 20 packets of heroin had been found in one car and 18 in the
other. The two women, Joanna Schofield (30), of Glenhurst Crescent, Oldham,
and Sheryl Hume (20), of Copster Place, Oldham, have admitted their role in
the crime and have been remanded on continuing bail for sentence on October
20th next.

Russell and Blake had made nine or 10 previous trips on behalf of the
Manchester-based west Dublin gang since February 1998. They had both been
offered a fee of 2,500 and 500 pounds expenses for each trip.

The court was told police in Manchester had since arrested a number of the
gang leaders and had seized a huge quantity of heroin and cocaine. In
sentencing Blake yesterday, Judge White said he should not depart radically
from the sentence given to Blake's co-accused, Russell, and jailed him
without a review date for six years to date from October 31st, 1998.

A report had shown Blake had regularly attended the educational facilities
at Mountjoy prison and the court was taking into consideration Blake's plea
of guilty.