Three drug traffickers sentenced to prison

Friday 26 May 2017

Three men who were charged with drug trafficking and money laundering after a surveillance operation by Customs Officers have been sentenced to prison by the Superior Number of the Royal Court.

Antonio Miguel Spinola, who acted as a "banker" in Jersey received a three year and nine month sentence, while Darryn Rae, who came from the UK to collect the money, has been sentenced to four years. A third man, Michael Alan Palmer, was also sentenced to three and a half years for having supplied 10kg of cannabis.

Rae (52) and Spinola (35) were put under surveillance by Customs and Immigration officers who were investigating their suspected drug trafficking and money laundering activities. Between August and November 2016, the two men were seen exchanging bundles of cash directly and indirectly on two occasions. Rae was also seen depositing a total of £14,200 in cash in separate sums at different banks in the Island. Officers later found out that Rae had made 22 short trips to Jersey between 2015 and 2016.

They were arrested on 24 November 2016 after Spinola was seen picking up Rae. When officers searched the car, they found a bag containing £8,000 in cash. When they searched Spinola, they found over 2kg of cannabis resin with an estimated street value of between £33,000 and £44,000 as well as 19 MDMA tablets and 2.96g of MDA powder, worth over £700, and £65,205 in cash.

Rae, defended by Advocate David Steenson, denied that the cash at Spinola's house was his or that he had supplied cannabis to him, but Spinola said the opposite. He said Rae had asked him to do "a few bits and pieces for him", which included collecting cash from various people and keeping it at his flat, until Rae could come and collect it. Spinola admitted turning "a blind eye" to the source of the money, "I'm not a person to say no [...] me being me and soft and vulnerable and not really wanting to ask too many questions and I guess I was a good target for it."

Spinola, who was defended by Advocate Jane Grace, explained that Rae had given him 2,5kg of cannabis as a "reward" but denied supplying cannabis. He however admitted that he gave cannabis to friends, sometimes in exchange for money.

While officers were conducting a search of Spinola's flat, Michael Palmer (65) came to the flat. He said he was there "to see the chap in the flat" but officers found £14,020 in cash in his vehicle and arrested him. They later found £40,000 in his mother's house as well as a small quantity of cannabis. Officers found a photograph of Rae and Palmer together in a bar and later found out that Palmer had flown in the day before Rae, but Palmer denied knowing about it.

Palmer admitted that he had made the money from supplying cannabis and that he had obtained 10kg of cannabis by an associate he refused to name, which he had supplied four different individuals. He denied coming to Spinola's flat to hand him cash. 

Crown Advocate Matthew Maletroit told the Court "..just as the courier takes a risk, the money launderer also takes the risk of the underlying offence" adding that "...local trusted associates are necessary for contacts and to collect the cash."

Handing down his sentence, Royal Commissioner Julian Clyde-Smith said "...the roles played by Rae and Spinola would have provided support, assistance and encouragement to criminal activities. There would not be drug traffickers without money launderers."

He also noted that Palmer had admitted to supplying 10kg of cannabis while no such amount had been seized. He said: "He volunteered the supply of cannabis to explain the large quantity of cash, therefore facing a prison sentence, we should give him credit for doing so."

Rae was eventually handed a four year prison sentence, Spinola three years and nine months, and Palmer three and a half years. The Court also ordered for all drugs to be forfeited.