Caroline Harris successfully defended in a case alleging large scale drug importation.

The police uncovered an intended drugs consignment in the South of England disguised as a pallet of frozen chicken. In 24 boxes 8kg of cocaine were discovered. The police seized the drugs and repackaged the consignment, using reams of paper and books from a charity shop.  The consignment was collected the next day by a suspected conspirator.  The police followed the van North.

The defendant driving a car met with the van driver, near the A1.  The van followed the defendant’s car to a storage yard, where the defendant had a code to enter the yard and the key to a large container.  On opening the van the cocaine was of course not there.

The police then arrested the van driver (who pleaded guilty to the conspiracy) and the defendant.  The defendant accepted that he knew the boxes he was moving may not be legitimate and might involve handling stolen goods but denied any knowledge that he was being asked to move drugs – let alone 192kg of cocaine.

He was duly acquitted.