Reproduced by kind permission of the Editor from ‘Aquitaine News’ under the by-line of Clin Bond. And as promised a link to the forum associated with the paper french-news.com/forum/
“I know and respect the law, my dad’s a copper.” These words, uttered by Frederick Nigel Regan in front of the magistrates last month, were not enough to get him off a charge of drug running.
In November 2004, Regan was returning home to Birmingham with his ‘empty’ truck, having delivered goods to some Britons settling in Alicante.
Stopping for a break in a mortorway aire (rest spot) near Marmande, he was spot-checked by customs men.
Noticing a strong smell of glue and the obvious excitement of their sniffer dog, they examined the vehicle and found1,075kg of cannabis resin stashed in false compartments.
The judge, passing sentence, severely criticised the English police, saying they would not cooperate in breaking down what he believed was a major international drug ring.
Regan was fined €2.15 million and sentenced to 4 years in prison - less the year-plus already served.