Nov 24 - Drug Smuggling Duo Jailed For Importing £7.5 Million Of Cannabis
A French man and a Spanish man have been sentenced to eight years in jail for the importation of 1,500kg of Cannabis Resin worth £7.5million.
Jose Maria Gutierrez Tomillero, 40, and Elias Bougdira, 29, appeared at the Supreme Court this afternoon for sentencing, facing one count of importation and one count of possession of 1.5 tons of the drug.
The Crown heard that the men were arrested in the early hours on 25th July when they were caught trying to flee a RHIB which had collided with the reef at Sandy Bay.
Officers from the Royal Gibraltar Police and HM Customs appeared at the scene and, when they climbed aboard the boat, they found 60 bales of cannabis resin weighing approximately 1.5 tons as well as petrol canisters, flotation suits and a GPS tracker in the water.
The two men were taken to New Mole House Police Station for questioning, together with a third person who was released later on, and were subsequently charged.
Robert Fischel QC, appearing for the Crown, said both men had been arrested in Spain and France for various drugs charges, but had not admitted to the previous convictions earlier.
Appearing for his clients, Francis Borastero-Porter explained that Gutierrez Tomillero was driven to crime out of financial need, after having lost his job due to an operation, which had left him needing crutches.
Bougdira, the Crown heard, was forced into this operation as a form of repayment after owing €3,600 in gambling debts while on holiday in Marbella. Mr Borastero-Porter said his clients had shown remorse and while remanded in custody had displayed exemplary behaviour.
Puisne Judge Karen Ramagge Prescott said that the previous convictions, and not admitting them, were aggravating features in this case.
While sentencing, Mrs Justice Ramagge Prescott said: “Their function was to take a delivery and transport 1.5 tons of cannabis resin by sea. It was one where they had a huge responsibility in the enterprise, and indeed it would be fanciful to believe that any one higher up the chain would entrust this amount to first time novices. The participation of the defendants here is either at the top of end of a significant role or the bottom end of a leadership role. There was a substantial reward, and their participation was motivated by financial advantage.”
Gutierrez Tomillero and Bougdira were sentenced to 11 years in prison for the importation of the drugs, with one more year given for the aggravating factors, and no separate penalty for possession. Due to an early plea, this was reduced to eight years in prison, with time served taken into consideration. The drugs were seized and ordered to be destroyed, and the RHIB forfeited by the Crown.
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