Britons face 15yrs in SA jail
2007-12-12 14:14
Pietermaritzburg - Two Britons face at least 15 years in jail after being convicted on Wednesday of dealing in 8.1 tons of dagga and 150kg of cocaine.
Regional Magistrate Fred Heuer, sitting in Camperdown between Durban and Pietermaritzburg, said that he would give reasons for his decisions to convict and pass sentences on December 21.
He ordered that John Tutton, 56, and Tony McKinnon, 35, remain in custody. Tutton and McKinnon were grim-faced when led to the cells.
On December 2, Heuer acquitted them of dealing in cocaine and dagga from their warehouse in Pinetown, but on Wednesday he convicted Tutton and McKinnon of dealing in 8.1 tons of compressed cannabis which was seized by British authorities in Felixstowe harbour and 150kg of cocaine which they were preparing to export to Britain.
Heuer acquitted their co-accused Ernie Smith, 59, of Umhlanga of the charges.
The state has led evidence that after their associate, Robert Flook, was arrested they moved to a warehouse in Stanger.
Tutton and McKinnon were arrested at the Stanger warehouse where 150 parcels of cocaine were hidden in two of 12 crates of mirrors that were to be sent to Britain. Two secret compartments were built inside the crates after cutting the mirrors to form compartments.
On October 4 last year Tutton and McKinnon supervised the loading of the crates into a container.
Later on the same day they were arrested by South African police at the warehouse.
Flook is awaiting sentence on one count of dealing in prohibited and dependence-forming substances in England.
- SAPA