Drugs courier hid cash in jeans

The money was hidden in the legs of a pair of blue jeans

A Derby man who was caught with almost £100,000 in drugs money as he tried to board a flight to Amsterdam has been jailed for three years.

Judge Brian Lewis told Anthony Cullen that huge amounts of money were available to the criminal underworld from drug dealing.

"You were playing your part in that trade by taking money out of the country so that those responsible for the commission of those offences could enjoy that money out of the jurisdiction.

"While I accept you did not know it was the proceeds of drug trafficking you knew it was the proceeds of crime.

Bags of money

"Selling heroin causes untold misery to young people and it is that disgusting obscene trade in which you played your part," the judge said.

Cullen, 40, of Princess Drive, in Derby, pleaded guilty at Liverpool Crown Court to transferring the proceeds of crime to assist a person to avoid prosecution.

William Ralston, prosecuting, said that on May 22, 2002, customs officers searched Cullen's luggage and found bags of money in Bank of England and Scottish bank notes hidden in the legs of pairs of jeans.

Cullen told officials that he was carrying the money to buy a business in Amsterdam.

Financial woes

The money was seized and he was told he would have to attend the magistrates court in two days time, but he failed to attend.

The money was taken for analysis and found to be contaminated with heroin.

Cullen was arrested on 1 November 1 2002 and claimed the money came from a variety of legitimate sources, including the sale of a shop, savings and from buying and selling cars.

Brendan Carville, defending, said that Cullen has not been in trouble for more than 10 years and that he bitterly regretted his actions.

At the time of the offence he had severe financial problems and succumbed to the temptation of the £1,000 he was offered to take the money to Holland.

He had not known the cash was drugs money, Mr Carville said.