Shepton Mallet man jailed after pleading guilty to importing drugs into the UK

A man who imported £5,000 worth of drugs into the UK has been jailed.

Robert Lane, from Shepton Mallet, was handed a three-year sentence after pleading guilty to importing drugs into the country and being involved in supply.

He was sentenced at Taunton Crown Court after admitting offences relating to cocaine and cannabis.

Lane was involved in an operation which saw a quantity of cannabis being shipped from the USA to the UK in December 2020.

He was caught when Border Force intercepted a parcel containing an estimated £5000 worth of cannabis.

Subsequent investigation 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 of three years and four months on Friday 17 March.

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

Lane was made the 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.”

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