Jailed drug dealer gets 18-year sentence for running cocaine ring from his cell

Two prisoners ran an international cocaine ring from their jail cells in England and Panama, a court heard yesterday. George Moon, who led the operation from behind bars in a Doncaster jail, was jailed for 18 years after admitting importing cocaine from South America in packages delivered by Royal Mail, DHL and TNT.

The 62-year-old, who had already been jailed three times for drugs offences, used a mobile phone in HMP Lindholme to contact Leo Morgan, from Birmingham, who was in Panama's El Renacer prison last year, Liverpool crown court heard.

The pair orchestrated between two and three kilos' worth of cocaine with a street value of about £300,000 to be smuggled into England and Ireland. Jailing Moon, of Liverpool, the judge, Bryn Holloway, said: "There are a number of most unusual features about this case.



"The first was that from this end the operation was being run by you, George Moon, while actively serving a 14-year sentence imposed in 2003 for being involved in earlier importations of cocaine.

"You had already served five and six-year sentences, this is your fourth sentence. You were able, while a prisoner, to access mobile phones. With the support of assistants outside you were able to run this importation by being in regular contact with them and with people in South America and Ireland while looking after this conspiracy to achieve its objectives.

"An even more extraordinary fact was the South America end of this conspiracy was being run by an Englishman who was, at the time, a prisoner in Panama serving a sentence or awaiting trial." It "beggared belief" said the judge, adding: "The fact you were able to do that in an English prison raises questions over the levels of supervision and control over you."