WIREDGOV

A businessman from Hull has been jailed for 18 years for plotting to import high-quality cocaine into the United Kingdom in boxes of flowers.

Gary Pattison, aged 52, who owns Sharon Pattison’s Florists and a haulage company called Sharon Pattison Logistics, attempted to import 84kg of cocaine, with a street value of £23.5 million, inside a consignment of chrysanthemums.

Pattison was sentenced on Thursday 27th at Sheffield Crown Court after being found guilty of importing cocaine following a one-week trial.

Gerry Smyth, Regional Head of Investigations for the Serious Organised Crime Agency, said: “Pattison acted as a shipping agent for organised crime groups by arranging for a large quantity of high purity cocaine to be smuggled into the country.

“Anyone who assists criminals in this way is a target for SOCA. If you come onto our radar we will pursue you relentlessly, track you down, and put you behind bars. Not only has Pattison lost his freedom, he now faces being stripped of his illicit profits.”

The SOCA investigation showed that, in early 2012, Pattison travelled to Rotterdam in his own lorry for the purpose of collecting the cocaine. He boarded the ferry at Hull on the 8 February and when he returned two days later he was stopped by officers from the UK Border Force.

The 89 boxes of flowers were stored on 22 wire trolleys, and officers noticed that three of the boxes were different in appearance. X-rays uncovered the kilo blocks of cocaine which were wrapped in brown coloured tape. Forensic analysis revealed the cocaine was up to 97 per cent pure.

During follow up searches at Pattison’s home in Woodmansey, SOCA officers seized a quantity of €500 notes. Banknote wholesalers stopped issuing these high value notes in 2010 after SOCA intelligence showed 90 per cent of UK demand came from criminals.

A financial investigation is underway.