AGONY OF ECSTASY SMUGGLERS

AN Oldham man faces a lengthy jail sentence after being found guilty
of being involved in smuggling UKP6 million of Ecstasy tablets.

Michael Joseph Baines (56) was one of a four-man gang involved in
importing more than 550,000 of the tablets.

Baines, of Birch Avenue, Hollins, Alan Lever (43), of Moston, Phillip
William Grange (48), of Keighley, and Seleh Bin Ali Dehouchi (39), of
Prestwich, were all charged with importing controlled drugs.

Manchester Crown Court heard that customs officers set up a long-term
investigation into the gang.

Lever was arrested in Kent, in November, 2000, when his heavy goods
lorry was stopped by officers.

They found 262,940 Ecstasy tablets in a box of putty.

Following a further importation, Baines, Dahouchi and Grange were
arrested near Newport Pagnell, with more than 290,000 of the tablets.

All four are due to be sentenced at Manchester Crown Court in four
weeks.