Drugs continue to be a problem in the Isle of Man despite some of the toughest sentences around.

Unsurprisingly, some of the longer sentences were handed out to those dealing class A or large quantities of class B drugs.

While the majority were lower level street dealers, there were criminal gangs also involved in well-planned bids to bring large quantities of drugs to the island and send cash back to the UK.

We take a look back at some of those gangs snared by police and other authorities who have been sentenced in 2025.

The three men received lengthy jail terms totalling almost 37 years for shipping to the Isle of Man a mini-fridge containing almost 1kg of cocaine.

Adrian Larcombe and John Laird were found guilty by a jury following a three-day trial of being concerned in the production of Class A drugs to the island from the UK.

Co-accused Mark Thone had previously pleaded guilty to the joint offence.

Appearing for sentencing in November, Larcombe was jailed for a total of 14 years and six months, Laird for 12 years and six months and Thone for nine years and 10 months.

The court heard that a block of cocaine was shipped to the island in September 2023 in a package containing a mini-fridge. It was sent to an address in Laxey.

The parcel was intercepted by police and found to contain 994.9 grams of cocaine, valued by police at £99,490. The defendants all lived in the UK and were involved in arranging for the cocaine to be sent over to the Isle of Man.

Five men connected with bringing cocaine to the island and removing criminal cash were all sentenced in October.

Liam Bradley, 32, of Lheannag Park in Douglas, was jailed for nine years and four months after pleading guilty to importing cocaine to the island and the transfer of criminal cash although he recently launched an appeal against his sentence.

Robin Leigh, 51, of Radcliffe, admitted being concerned in importing cocaine to the island and was sentenced to eight years and seven months.

Ryan White, 41, of Murrays Road in Douglas, was jailed for seven years and eight months after admitting being involved in importing cocaine to the island, possession of the drug with intent to supply, transferring criminal cash, and acquiring criminal cash.

John O'Neill, 40, of Manchester, was jailed for six years for importing cocaine, supplying the drug and possessing criminal cash.

Wesley Maddix, 41, also from Greater Manchester, was jailed for five months after admitting possession of criminal property.

On May 18 2024, officers followed a car driven by a female which was then involved in a drug deal and cash exchange outside the Best Western Hotel on Douglas promenade.

In total, two packages were found containing a total of 635.74g total with a street value of between £56,920-£111,830.

A sum of £13,090 in cash was also found while both O’Neill and Maddix were found with £1,000 in cash - thought to be payment for their involvement.

CCTV was later viewed which also captured Bradley exchanging the £15,090 in cash with White outside Douglas Snooker Club earlier that day.

Phones seized from those involved linked Leigh to the drugs operation and he was later arrested at Ronaldsway Airport. However, the man suspected of heading the operation from the UK remains at large.

They were hard-working, family men and some even operated successful businesses.

Yet they were willing to place all of that on the line to make a quick buck. It would be a decision they will regret for the rest of their lives.

John Skillen owned his own fishing boat; Ashley Harrison ran a farm and Jordan Corkill had been a fisherman since he was 16 years old.

Jordan Halligan-Bunce was barely out of his teens when he was drawn into the operation to bring more than £300,000 worth of cannabis into the Isle of Man.

Only operation leader Jamie Smith could be deemed any kind of career criminal.

In January all but Halligan-Bunce were led away to the cells to begin fairly lengthy sentences after appearing at the Court of General Gaol Delivery.

The operation to bring in 15.5kg of cannabis and 100 vapes laced with a cannabis derivative took weeks of planning.

Smith had been in contact with Skillen for five weeks before the bid to smuggle the drugs from Whitehaven to the island took place on November 17, 2023.

He offered John Skillen – the owner of the vessel Boy Shayne - £2,000 to use the boat to pick up the drugs from the Cumbrian town.

Rather than sail the vessel himself, Skillen asked his captain Jordan Corkill to skipper the boat.

The plan was to sail back to Laxey bay where the rigid inflatable boat (RIB) – owned by Ashley Harrison – would be used to bring the drugs into a cove. Harrison recruited Halligan-Bunce to drive the RIB.

But, once Halligan-Bunce realised he was part of a drug smuggling operation, he was not happy and ran the RIB aground in Castletown.

Halligan-Bunce’s actions forced a change of plan and the Boy Shayne was sailed into the Battery Pier in Douglas. But police were already on their trail and officers from the Serious and Organised Crime Unit were waiting for them.

A holdall was seized and later found to contain approximately 15.5kg of cannabis with an estimated street value of £310,000. It also contained 98 cannabis vapes with a street value more than £3,000.

Smith, 37, of Ballacutchel Road, Douglas, was jailed for a total of five years while Skillen, 44, of Archallagan Terrace in Foxdale, was jailed for a total of three years and nine months.

Corkill, 27, of Kerroo Coar, Peel, was jailed for three years and six months with Harrison, 36, of Kerrowmoar, Sulby receiving a prison sentence of three years and 11 months.

Halligan-Bunce, 21, of Bromet Road, Castletown, was handed a 21-month prison sentence suspended for two years.