Lawrence Padoan (51), of Wykes Lane, Donington, and John Terrence Smith (55), of Roman Bank, Holbeach Bank, used their legitimate companies as a front for the cannabis importation.
Customs officers swooped and foiled the conspiracy when the consignment of 4,398 cannabis blocks, with a street value of just under £3m, arrived among potatoes at Dover in April 2003.
At Winchester Crown Court in September the pair were jailed for five years after being convicted of conspiring to smuggle cannabis resin.
Their case was referred to the Appeal Court in London by the Attorney General, Baroness Scotland QC, who argued the sentences were "unduly lenient".
On Wednesday Lord Justice Thomas, sitting with Mr Justice Davis and Mr Justice David Clarke, agreed and increased the pair's jail term to eight years.
The men were arrested after a National Crime Squad inquiry which led to several arrests in 2003 and culminated in four separate trials.
Padoan and Smith used their companies as a front for the cannabis importation from Spain with Padoan's named as the potato shipper and the delivery address given as Smith's firm.
Lord Justice Thomas said there was continuing dispute over the exact roles the pair played in the conspiracy.
They claimed they were only receiving £400.
However, there was evidence of a series of meetings between the pair and the main mover behind the plot and, although they were not towards the top of the chain of command, they had been more than "mere foot soldiers", he said.
Padoan and Smith, who was in poor health and whose company was in "dire financial straits", chose to participate because of their apparent respectability and legitimate businesses, added the judge.
Ruling that their previous unblemished character could only be of limited relevance, Lord Justice Thomas said: "Deterrent sentences are required to deal with those who are attempted to become involved in matters of this kind."
No comments:
Post a Comment