A criminal gang was involved in a nefarious trip to a Welsh port town, a car chase and hideaways, a court has heard.

The activities of the organised gang bringing drugs to the Isle of Man were outlined at the start of the trial involving Christian Mayers which opened this week.

Mr Mayers, of Royal Avenue, Onchan, denies a number of drugs offences and being part of an organised criminal organisation.

The organisation was involved in bringing huge amounts of drugs to the island and removing criminal cash back to Merseyside.

Mr Mayers, 48, is charged with being concerned in the supply of cocaine on February 11, 2023, being concerned in the supply of cannabis on the same date, possession of ketamine on February 12, 2023, being concerned in the production of cannabis on or around October 25, 2023, being concerned in the production of cocaine on the same date and participation in a criminal organisation between February 11, 2023 and March 9, 2024.

On Monday, prosecutor Roger Kane outlined the case against Mr Mayers in front of the jury, which began with an Onchan resident reporting suspicious behaviour outside their property in Royal Avenue.

Mr Kane said: ‘On February 11, 2023, a call came into the police from a resident in Royal Avenue reporting suspicious behaviour with someone trying the door handles of vehicles.

‘They saw someone opening the door of a red van and appeared to be rummaging inside.

‘Police searched the vehicle and found a quantity of drugs in the van which belonged to the defendant.’

Cocaine was found in the glove compartment while a ‘significant quantity’ of cannabis was found in the back of the vehicle.

Mr Kane told the jury the prosecution will argue Mr Mayers had ‘full knowledge’ of what was happening.

Officers then searched Mr Mayers’ address in Royal Avenue West the next day where a quantity of ketamine was found.

Mr Kane added: ‘A written note was also found in a kitchen drawer which we say is a blueprint for importing drugs to the island. It is the prosecution’s case this note was written by the defendant.’

Mr Kane said there were a number of people involved in the case with several convictions already secured.

Matters intensified on October 25, 2023 when two men travelled to Holyhead in north Wales by rigid inflatable boat (RIB) where they picked up a package containing drugs and returned to Port St Mary harbour.

Mr Kane told the jury: ‘Police were conducting surveillance at Port St Mary. There was a car chase involving the two men and the Audi they were driving was abandoned in a remote area of the Sloc.

‘In the vicinity was a Mini Cooper which sped off towards Port St Mary and this was driven by Mr Mayers.’

Mr Kane also explained that Mr Mayers was spotted by police driving the same car in the area of the Sloc at around 2.45am the next day. The car was searched but nothing was found. Mr Mayers told police he was just out for a drive.

Later, a package was found discarded in a field at the Sloc which contained 0.5kg of cocaine and 3kg of cannabis. Mr Kane says it is the prosecution’s case that the drugs would be picked up later.

Police also put a property at Port Grenaugh – between Douglas and Castletown – called the Granary under surveillance.

The tenancy was under the name of an associate of Mr Mayers before Mr Mayers took it over. Mr Kane says the two men and others were seen coming to and from the property which was ‘organised criminal gang activity’.

Mr Kane said: ‘The Granary was not a seaside resort but was the base from which to conduct the organised criminal gang’s operations.’

Mr Kane also says Mr Mayers’ role within the gang was significant.

He said: ‘The prosecution say this defendant was operating in a supervisory role. He was not involved in going to Wales to pick up the drugs himself. He was higher up where they tend not to get their hands dirty.

‘He arranged for the drugs to be brought to the island and was the facilitator for the drug runners.’

Mr Mayers was arrested on March 8, 2024 and, when interviewed, claimed he had no knowledge of any of the drug dealing or criminal cash leaving the island.

Mr Kane told the jury it is up to the prosecution to prove the case against Mr Mayers.

The trial continues and is set to last between five and seven days.