Man jailed for involvement in drugs being shipped to UK

A man from Shepton Mallet has been jailed for more than three years after pleading guilty to importing drugs into the country and being involved in supply.

Robert Lane, of Cowl Street, was sentenced at Taunton Crown Court after admitting offences relating to cocaine and cannabis.

In December 2020, Lane was involved in a quantity of cannabis being shipped from the USA to the UK. He was caught when Border Force intercepted a parcel containing an estimated £5,000’s worth of cannabis. Subsequent enquiries revealed Lane was also involved in the supply of cocaine.

Lane pleaded guilty to two charges of importing a class B drug and one count each of being concerned in the supply of cocaine and cannabis.

He received a jail sentence totalling three years and four months on Friday 17 March.

The court ordered the destruction of the drugs and the forfeiture of drugs paraphernalia and mobile phones seized during the investigation.

Lane was made subject of a Proceeds of Crime Act application and given 28 days to pay back more than £5,500 and surrender assets.

PC Mark Hicks said: “We are committed to working tirelessly, alongside partners such as Border Force, to stop people bringing illegal substances into this country and we will always seek to deal with such offenders in Avon and Somerset robustly.”