A Liverpool chef was the go-between in a drug smuggling plot that saw cocaine brought into the UK via P&O Ferries from mainland Europe, a court heard. Mark Quilliam allegedly introduced fellow crew members to Liverpool drug dealing gangs, leading to them smuggle drugs through crew-only exits in the lining of high vis jackets.
They were paid thousands of pounds per time with Quilliam, of Gladica Close in Liverpool, allegedly receiving a cut of profits despite not smuggling any drugs himself.
He is on trial at Hull Crown Court, and denies two charges of conspiracy to import cocaine alongside fellow defendant Edward Tron from Carr Hill Road, Gateshead. Susan Tron, 54, of Carr Hill Road, Gateshead, has denied a charge of money laundering for her husband.
Opening the prosecution case, Crown barrister Paul Mitchell told the jury: “The Crown’s case is that for a significant period of time Eddy Tron and Mark Quilliam were involved in a conspiracy to import drugs on the P&O ferry – the Pride of Hull – which travelled daily between Hull and Rotterdam.
“The conspiracy made use of the fact crew members were not subject to the same customs checks faced by passengers and could therefore more easily leave and go back on the boat and more easily smuggle packages of drugs from Rotterdam into Hull, which were further taken on and sold on the streets of the UK.
“Members of crew was able to leave the vessel while in port both in Rotterdam and Hull. Crucially they do not leave with other passengers but left by the stern ramp and they are subjected to few, if any, checks.”
Mr Mitchell said Tron was in serious debt, with his actions a way of escaping that burden. He added Tron earned £20,000 a year and his wife upto £9,000 but between 2008 and 2014 made £138,000 in unexplained cash deposits to banks in Liverpool.
Mr Mitchell added Tron fell for a police sting after a recording device was placed in his cabin on board the Pride of Hull. An officer from the National Crime Agency began working undercover on the ferry from March 2015 as the ship’s security warden. The officer, known as Bill, had a microphone on his body and a further video in his car taping conversation over three months.
Asked to explain the mechanics Tron said: “You meet a kid and he will give you some thing. You bring it on. I will get it off.”
Asked if he was importing Charlie – slang name for cocaine – Tron replied: “Yes. Yes.”
The operation came tumbling down after Dutch police followed Tron to a Rotterdam café where he was allegedly meeting Scouse dealers over the drug trade.
Tron was seen to get in to the back of a black car which sped off only to be followed by Dutch police. However the tail was spotted and the car pulled into a McDonalds car park only to speed off again, losing the police. Prosecutors called it a “highly professional piece of criminal driving.”
Tron and the gang were then said to have dumped their mobile phones. He was driven to a hotel and given money for a taxi to get back to the ship.
Mrs Tron told police Quilliam was a pal of her husband she had know for 15 years and it was not unusual for her to be paid money as a result of a gambling win. She denied any implication in criminal activity. Quilliam made no comment in police interview.
The trial continues.
By: Richard Dean
Source: Liverpool Echo
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