Two men were arrested after smuggling $341,875 (£250,000) worth of cocaine in baked beans and condensed coconut milk tins.
Daniel Kelly and Steven Gilhooly have been sentenced to 15 years in prison at Snaresbrook Crown Court, London.
Kelly and Gilhooly, both 43, sent two parcels from St. Lucia, in the Caribbean, to southeast London in 2018.
However, with the help of forensic inspection, it was discovered that the parcels contained 2.742 kg of cocaine.
CNN reported that the men resealed the cans using a machine can sealer and blank tin lids they had purchased.
In December 2018, the men went by plane from London to St. Lucia, and a can sealer was found inside their luggage.
Kelly mailed the parcels using a fake ID from St. Lucia. It was later discovered to contain cocaine.
The press statement said that Kelly and Gilhooly were arrested last year and were charged in April 2021 for importing Class A drugs into the UK.
“This should send a clear and strong message to that intent on penetrating our borders that offenses of this nature are taken very seriously and we will leave no stone unturned in bringing them to justice,” Detective Inspector Matthew Webb, from the Metropolitan Police Specialist Crime teams, said in a statement.
“The miserable effect that drugs supply has on our communities is undeniable and inextricably linked to violence within our communities.
“I hope this provides them the opportunity to reflect on their behavior and demonstrates that crime doesn’t pay,” Webb added.
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