A pair of drug smugglers who plotted to fly cocaine with a potential street value of more than £2.4million into the UK have been jailed.
Light aircraft pilot John Buwalda, who flew the drugs into Rochester airfield in Kent, was sentenced to 23 years in prison at the Old Bailey this afternoon (Friday 3 February).
His accomplice Jan Polak was sentenced to 17 years in prison.
Punam Chopra, Specialist Prosecutor from the CPS International Justice and Organised Crime Division, said:
“The prosecution built a case which demonstrated how John Buwalda and Jan Polak plotted to fly a significant amount of cocaine into the UK using a light aircraft. As a result of their actions both men have today been handed lengthy prison sentences.”
Both men were convicted of importing class A drugs following a trial at the Old Bailey in December 2016.
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