A drugs trafficker has been jailed for 46 months after a parcel containing more than £37,000 worth of cannabis was shipped to the island.

Gary Ross’s fingerprints were also found on packages of herbal cannabis hidden in the attic of a property in Laxey.

The Court of General Gaol Delivery heard that on May 5 last year a parcel sent from the US was intercepted by Customs and Excise officers.

It was addressed to a house on Woodbourne Road in Douglas.

Inside the package was found 1,863.4g of cannabis with a potential street value of £37,268.

A dummy package delivery was arranged to Woodbourne Road with a Customs and Excise officer dressed as a Manx Independent Carriers driver.

Ross spoke to the driver and took the package,

He then exited the property from the rear and was arrested in the back lane alongside a co-accused Rosemary Burgess, who has since been jailed for her role in the plot.

Ross was found with £1,270 in cash and his iPhone was also seized.

A search of his address in Lheannag Park, Douglas uncovered a small quantity of cannabis worth £122.

Then on October 2, while the defendant was on bail for that offence, police carried out a search of Burgess’s home on Old Laxey Hill, Laxey in connection with another investigation.

In the attic, officers found two packages in a holdall and a third package in a JD Sports bag containing a total of 1,578.9g of herbal cannabis with a street value of £31,578.

Forensic tests found Ross’s fingerprints on various layers of packaging.

The 36-year-old pleaded guilty to production of cannabis, intention to supply, being concerned in the supply of the drug between July and October last year and simple possession.

Defence advocate Peter Taylor said his client was at the lower end of the drugs trafficking organisation rather than anywhere near the top.

He said Ross was addicted to cannabis and had taken a ‘calculated risk’ to clear his drug debts.

His remorse was genuine, he said, and ‘the clang of the prison door had rung loudly in his ears’.

Deemster Graeme Cook jailed Ross for a total of 46 months, and told him he would serve half the sentence before being released automatically on licence.

The Deemster made a confiscation order in the sum of £1,270, and directed that £500 of this will go to Victim Support. Ross will have to pay within 14 days or serve three months in jail in default.

Rosemary Ellen Burgess, 22, was jailed for eight years in February for her role in the offences and being concerned in trafficking cocaine to the island