Two Merseyside men have been jailed after trying to smuggle cocaine to the Isle of Man on the ferry.

Aron Jackson stashed the drug in his underpants while Philip Jones tried to throw his drugs away as he was led into police headquarters in Douglas.

The two men appeared at the Court of General Gaol Delivery on Tuesday having previously admitted to cocaine production to the island.

Jackson, 36, had 27.7g of the class A drug while Jones, 38, had 9g. However, it was accepted by the prosecution that the drugs were for personal use and there was no suggestion they intended to supply the cocaine

Sara-Jayne Dodge, prosecuting, said that on February 25 this year the two men arrived in the island from Heysham in the evening.

Jones, of Southport, was stopped by police and customs officers. He began sweating profusely and talking very fast.

Jackson, of Warwick Street, Liverpool, also failed to give a clear reason for his visit. Both men were detained for a search.

A wrap of cocaine was found in Jones’ suitcase and, while being taken into police headquarters in Douglas, he tried to throw away a wrap later found to contain 8.3g of cocaine worth £833.

Meanwhile, Jackson was searched and a wrap of the class A drug was found in his underpants found to be 27.7g of cocaine, worth £2.777.

Both admitted the production offence during their first court appearance.

In mitigation for Jones, advocate Kaitlyn Shimmin said her client was a dad-of-two who had the drugs for personal use only.

She added: ‘He has been diagnosed with an addictive personality disorder but is now totally off drugs and alcohol.’

Advocate Paul Glover, for Jackson, also said the drugs were for personal use only adding: ‘My client has struggled with drug issues for several years and has lived an unsettled and unstable life.’

Jackson was jailed for four years while Jones was jailed for two years. Both men will be excluded from the island for five years on their release.