Two Bradford men have been jailed for their part in a conspiracy to smuggle cannabis resin with a street value of £1.25 million into Britain.

Builder John Fawthrop and lorry driver Paul Whittingham were part of a gang who tried to smuggle large quantities of the drug from Spain, Sheffield Crown Court was told yesterday.

Whittingham, of Paley Road, East Bowling, was stopped at Dover with a lorry full of onions from Spain but he had a hidden cargo of 373 kgs of cannabis resin, the court heard.

The 34-year-old, who admitted smuggling the drug, was sentenced to six months imprisonment.

The court heard how an undercover police officer had infiltrated the gang.

Customs officers established that John Fawthrop was also involved but he was not arrested immediately for fear it would jeopardise the operation. The court heard the gang, which included three other men, was finally netted at an M1 service station after Fawthorp handed over a bag containing £78,520 in cash to the undercover officer.

Fawthrop, 42, of Shetcliffe Lane, Bierley, admitted a charge of conspiracy to import the drug and was given nine years imprisonment. He denied smuggling the resin but was found guilty and sent to prison for eight nine years concurrent.

The three others from Pontefract and Barnsley, received sentences between four-and-a-half and three-and-a-half years after admitting conspiracy to import the drug.

Fawthrop's nephew, Anthony Fawthrop denied the conspiracy charge and was discharged after a jury failed to agree a verdict. No further evidence was offered.

Another man, Brian Cappu-vanno, also pleaded not guilty to the same charge and was acquitted.

After the case a Customs and Excise spokesman said: "This was an excellent example of co-operation between various law enforcement agencies both in the UK and Spain."

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