Three men jailed for importing cocaine in mini fridge

Sixty-one-year-old Mark Thone pleaded guilty to being concerned in importing cocaine and 59-year-old Adrian Larcombe and 37-year-old John Laird were convicted of the same charge after a trial at Douglas Courthouse.

The court heard how Thone and Larcombe went to a retail park to buy the fridge, before Thone stashed the drugs inside. Laird then drove them to a depot in Lancashire to drop the package off.

Thone was jailed for nine years and 10 months; Larcombe received 14 years and six months and Laird was jailed for 12 years and six months.

The court heard that there had been regular telephone contact between Thone and Larcombe, as well as Larcombe and Laird in the lead up to and after the date.

The package was flagged as suspicious and then intercepted by police when it arrived on the Island, and the three men were arrested on 15 November 2024.

Thone, of West Bridgeford, had pleaded guilty but Larcombe, of Nebberfield, and Laird, of Lakeside View, denied it.

Deemster Graeme Cook said that while Laird had played a "lesser role" in the plot, both Larcombe and Thone played "a significant role" in importing the drugs.

The operation was "not sophisticated", the Deemster said.

Thone's defence said he had become involved to pay off a "significant debt" arising from previous convictions.

Larcombe's defence was that although his fingerprints were on the fridge, he claimed he did not know about the drugs.

Laird said he had driven his own vehicle, registered in his own name, and had played a lesser role.

An exclusion order has been placed on all three men, banning them from entering the Island for five years once they are released from prison.

Peter Nulty, who arranged the delivery from the Island, and Rosemary Burgess, whose Laxey home the package was addressed to, were sentenced in February 2024.