Tuesday 23 April 2013
On Monday 22 April 2013 Jose Sebastiao Fernandes, a 27 year old Portuguese National living locally, and Fernando Moreira Cerejo, a 43 year old Portuguese National living in the UK, appeared before the Guernsey Royal Court having tendered guilty pleas to the importation of the Class A controlled drug Diamorphine, commonly known as Heroin, and the Class C controlled drug Buprenorphine, commonly known as Suboxone. The controlled drugs seized had a potential local resale value of between £2,225 and £4,450.
On Tuesday 23 October 2012 officers of the Guernsey Border Agency were on duty at Guernsey Postal Headquarters where they selected two brown jiffy envelopes for further examination. Upon opening the first larger envelope a box of celebrations chocolates were removed inside of which was a ball of blu-tac, containing 15 individual wraps of the Class A drug, Diamorphine amounting to a total of 4.36 grams of the drug. The second package was found to contain 20½ Suboxone tablets in a clear plastic bag.
On Wednesday 24 October 2012 a replica package was delivered to the residential address of Fernandes. Fernandes was not present but was located and subsequently arrested.
Despite the senders address on the packages being fictitious, checks established that Cerejo was the sender of the packages. He was arrested for the offences when he flew into Guernsey on 13 November 2012 to visit Fernandes for one night.
In subsequent interviews both males admitted their respective roles in arranging for the drugs to be imported into the Island.
In summing up the Deputy Bailiff stated that had the importation been successful they would have added to the stock of controlled drugs in the island and that the good people of Guernsey have no wish to foster addicts amongst us. He further stated that the message must be sent loudly to other people thinking about importing drugs.
Fernandes (the recipient) was sentenced by the Royal Court to 5 years imprisonment for the importation of Diamorphine and 1 year imprisonment (concurrent) for the importation of Buprenorphine. Cerejo (the sender) was sentenced by the Royal Court to 3 years and 9 months imprisonment for the importation of Diamorphine and 9 months imprisonment to the importation of Buprenorphine (concurrent).
The court has also recommended that both Fernandes and Cerejo be considered for deportation when the duration of their sentence is completed.
Law Enforcement are always grateful of any assistance given by members of the public in identifying any persons involved with smuggling or supplying controlled drugs in the Bailiwick; information can be given by contacting the Confidential Drugline on 0800 318 318.
-ENDS-
Contact Information
Confidential Drugline
Tel: 0800 318 318
Guernsey Border Agency
Tel: +44 1481 741417
E-mail: enquiries@gba.gov.gg
