TWO men who tried to overtake a police car were found to have £250,000 of cannabis in their vehicle, Derry Crown Court heard.
Michael Mulligan (30) of Sevenoaks and Damien Doherty (32) of Florence Street, both in Derry, were handed jail sentences after they admitted possessing the drugs with intent to supply and importing a Class B drug.
Mulligan also admitted a charge of dangerous driving.
The court heard that on March 16 last year police tried to stop a vehicle being driven by Mulligan on the Victoria Road at Magheramason.
The vehicle did not stop and was found to be driving at speeds of up to 70 mph in a 40 mph zone.
Mulligan attempted to pass the police car on several occasions and eventually hit it before overturning.
When police helped Mulligan and Doherty from the vehicle, they found bags in the boot containing 12 kilos of cannabis valued at around £250,000.
During interviews, Mulligan said he had gone to Drogheda to pick up the drugs and had been given them by an unidentified man.
He said he had been given instructions by phone where to go and knew he was collecting drugs as he had made the same journey on two previous occasions. He said he had been acting under duress from a man identified as P.
He said when police tried to stop him he had panicked.
Doherty claimed he thought the bags contained car parts.
Judge Babington said it appeared the two were acting as couriers for a drug gang and added that he was concerned that it appeared Mulligan had done this before.
"It is difficult to know how involved in the drugs trade the defendants actually are although it is probably the case that Mulligan is more seriously involved," he said.
"Anyone who is involved in the illegal drug trade is only spreading evil and despair amongst this community and offending involving this scale of drugs has to be met by immediate sentences of imprisonment."
He sentenced Mulligan to two years in prison and Doherty to 16 months.
