ENGLISHMAN ADMITS PART IN HEROIN SMUGGLING

Two Englishmen employed by a west Dublin drugs organisation made eight
or nine similar runs before they were arrested while importing IEP5
million worth of heroin. It was the largest seizure of heroin ever
made in the State.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court was told the gang leaders were now based
in Manchester and paid the couriers IEP2,500 for each cache imported.

Gary Blake, Copster Place, Oldham, Manchester, pleaded guilty to
importing the IEP5 million of heroin into Dublin port on October 31th,
1998.

Judge Michael White said that he needed to give the case serious
consideration and adjourned sentencing to May 5th.

Det Sgt Greg Sheehan told Mr Fergal Foley, prosecuting, that Blake and
his co-accused, Robert Russell, hid the heroin in two hired cars and
then persuaded two women to act as "camouflage" on their ferry trip to
Dublin.

Det Sgt Sheehan told Blake's defence counsel, Mr Martin Giblin SC,
that he admitted he was working for the Dublin criminals he knew as
"the Irish lads".

Russell (33), of Glenhurst Cresent, Oldham, was jailed for six years
by Judge Elizabeth Dunne on March 12th last for his role.

The two women, Joanna Schofield (30) of Glenhurst Crescent, and Sheryl
Hume (20), of Copster Place, Oldham, have also pleaded guilty and have
been remanded on continuing bail for sentence on October 20th next.