A vulnerable man who tried to smuggle nearly half a million pounds’ worth of drugs into the island has been jailed for two years.

James Edward Joseph Searrio, who lived in Merseyside, was arrested at the Sea Terminal with the huge haul of cannabis hidden in a secret compartment of his car.

The 31-year-old told police that drug dealers in Liverpool had killed his dog and threatened his mother, forcing him to make the delivery.

supply

Deemster Alastair Montgomerie quoted a probation report while passing sentence which said: ’Money is the drug world’s blood supply.’

The Deemster said: ’The sale of these drugs would have generated vast profits for drug lords. That blood supply has to be cut.’

Searrio admitted two counts of production of cannabis to the island and two counts of possession of the drug with intent to supply.

Prosecutor James Robinson told the court that, on February 22, police stopped Searrio as he got off the ferry from Heysham in a Peugeot 607.

Sniffer dogs gave an indication that drugs were in the car and a search found a panel between the boot and rear seat which contained several large packages as well as three mobile phones and co-ordinates written on a piece of paper.

Cannabis weighing 69.85kg with a street value of £442,443 was found.

Searrio, who was said to have a very low IQ and suffer from Asperger’s Syndrome, was interviewed by police with an appropriate adult present.

He initially denied any knowledge of the drugs but then said that a man called ’Franny’ had killed his dog and threatened his mother in an effort to get him to bring the drugs to the island.

Searrio, off Wren House, St James Drive, Bootle, said that ’Franny’ had approached him in Liverpool and offered him a free trip to the Isle of Man, but added that he would be expected to return at a later date and take some ’stuff’ with him to the island.

packages

Searrio said that he took the free trip in January but when he returned he refused to take a second trip to carry packages.

He said he found his puppy dead and believed it had choked on something it had chewed in his house but was then told by ’Franny’ that he had killed his dog.

Searrio said he then believed the threat to his mother was real and agreed to carry the packages to the island.

The Court of General Gaol Delivery heard that Searrio was however not able to argue a defence of duress because he had opportunity to contact the police.

In a basis of plea Searrio said he had received no profit and had not been involved in drugs in any way.

Defence advocate David Reynolds said his client had no similar previous convictions.

Mr Reynolds said that his client’s IQ was 74 and doctors had described him as ’easily misled and vulnerable’, suffering from Asperger’s and social impairment.

The advocate went on to say that, since being on remand, Searrio had been using the prison’s full-time education system and had obtained enhanced prisoner status as well as doing voluntary work.

A doctor’s letter read in court described Searrio has having ’little or no understanding of social rules’.

Deemster Montgomerie said while passing sentence: ’This was a sophisticated and well-planned operation which was designed to facilitate the importation of a large quantity of controlled drugs into the Isle of Man for onward distribution and supply.

sophisticated

’I do accept that, whilst this was sophisticated and planned, that emanated from others.’

The Deemster went on to say that it was clear that Searrio is and was vulnerable and that it was vital that get support when he is released from custody.

Searrio was also banned from the island for five years which will take effect upon his release from prison.