Two Birmingham men imported unusual class A drugs to the island in a case which initially left police unsure what substances they had seized.

Ramesh Pal Singh, 39, and Hardeep Singh Cheema, 40, were stopped after arriving on the ferry at Douglas Sea Terminal amid concerns over the roadworthiness of the Range Rover they were travelling in.

The vehicle was searched and police and customs officers found what appeared to be class A drugs.

During sentencing on Friday, prosecutor Roger Kane said he was not aware of the drugs having previously been brought into the island.

The case had earlier been delayed while the substances were identified, having been described as unusual.

The men were initially charged with importing morphine, but the charge was subsequently amended to opium and poppy straw.

Opium is not as strong as heroin - which also derives from the poppy - while poppy straw is the dried remainder of the opium poppy plant, including stalks, leaves and seed pods.

Despite not being as potent as heroin, opium and poppy straw are still class A drugs.

Singh, of Hagley Street, Birmingham, and Cheema, of Caldwell Street, Birmingham, were arrested on July 1 last year and later admitted importing opium.

During sentencing, Mr Kane said that as part of Operation Fortress, aimed at protecting the island’s borders, the Range Rover was stopped amid concerns about its condition.

Cheema was driving while Singh and another person were also inside.

Singh claimed they had come to the island for a one-day holiday but had not booked accommodation. Officers felt the two men were acting suspiciously and searched the vehicle.

In total, 67.1g of poppy straw was found, while Cheema had 14.2g of opium and Singh had 4.63g. The total value of the opium found was around £200.

Both later admitted importing opium, but the prosecution could not determine who the poppy straw belonged to and dropped a second charge of importing it.

Mr Kane said the prosecution had taken a practical approach and, although it was an importation offence, accepted the drugs were for personal use.

He added: ‘We are not aware of any previous incidents of this drug in the island so it is difficult to assess the impact these offences have on the community here.’

Singh also pleaded guilty to permitting a vehicle to be driven in a dangerous condition, relating to the Range Rover, which had 12 serious defects.

In mitigation, advocate Paul Rogers, representing Cheema, said opium had about an eighth of the potency of heroin.

Mr Rogers said his client had been addicted to opium but had benefited from his arrest and was now seeking treatment.

Advocate David Reynolds, representing Singh, said his client had spent 11 days in custody and lost his employment.

Deemster Graeme Cook decided not to send the two men, who both have young families, immediately to prison.

Cheema was handed a 16-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, while Singh received a 12-month sentence, also suspended for two years.

Singh was also fined £1,000 and given three penalty points for the unroadworthy vehicle.

Both men were immediately excluded from the island for five years.