Jail for man who attempted to smuggle £4m in cocaine in piano
He was stopped by Border Force officials at Newhaven Port in Sussex
A man who tried to smuggle cocaine worth around £4.2 million through Newhaven Port in a piano has been jailed.
Border Force officers found 89 wrapped blocks of high purity cocaine inside a removals van being driven by Francesco Role on November 6th last year.
The piano was found hidden under a blanket inside the vehicle, which was being taken from Normandy to East Sussex.
An investigation by Greater Manchester Police found that Role was using a variety of fake delivery addresses across the UK.
He initially tried to claim that he was a legitimate businessman. However, when faced with the evidence, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs and the fraudulent evasion of the provision of the importation of class A drugs.
Role, who is 45 and of Dean Road in Irlam, Greater Manchester, was jailed for 13 years and six months on Friday (April 12th).
Detective Inspector James Coles from Greater Manchester Police's Serious Organised Crime Group said:
"We know that criminals are adapting their methods to evade law enforcement, which is why it is imperative that we continue to use all resources available to evolve with them and stay one step ahead.
"Had Role been successful in bringing £4 million worth of cocaine into the UK it would have had devastating effects to our communities.
"His arrest and long custodial sentence will undoubtedly disrupt the drugs trade and local dealers who were reliant on his shipments."