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A 43-year-old man has been jailed after accepting more than £15,000 in drug money in a bar from a Guernsey resident who had sailed into Jersey that day.
41-year-old Guernsey resident Darren El Mettouri arrived in Jersey on a private vessel from Guernsey on 19 May last year.
After mooring at the visitor’s pontoon in St Helier Harbour, he made his way into St Helier.
El Mettouri later met with 43-year-old Jersey resident Timothy Ayers at a bar in St Helier, where he handed over £15,440 to Ayers.
Shortly after, El Mettouri was arrested at Albert Quay while returning to his vessel, and Ayers was arrested simultaneously at the bar.
The movements of El Mettouri and Ayers were monitored by Jersey Customs and Immigration Service (JCIS) officers, alongside officers from the States of Jersey Police (SoJP).
That day, the Guernsey Border Agency (GBA) executed a search warrant at El Mettouri's home, leading to the seizure of 830g of herbal cannabis.
Upon his arrest, El Mettouri was found in possession of a personal amount of cocaine and £600.
Initially, he denied meeting Ayers or involvement in drug trafficking but later admitted to both when presented with evidence, also confirming his role in supplying cannabis in Guernsey.
Ayers was found in possession of a personal amount of cocaine, the £15,440 in Guernsey notes, and a notebook listing names alongside cash amounts – one being 'Del' and £16,500.
Ayers admitted in an interview that 'Del' referred to El Mettouri and that he had received the £15,440 from him.
However, he offered no explanation for the other nine names listed, which totalled over £100,000.
He also admitted to supplying a personal amount of cocaine to El Mettouri that day. A personal amount of cannabis was found at Ayers' home.
JCIS investigations into Ayers’ potential criminal assets are ongoing.
Following investigations by the GBA, El Mettouri was charged in Guernsey and, on 12 April this year, was sentenced to four years and four months for the supply of cannabis and failure to declare cash at export.
Today, Ayers was sentenced to two years and six months at HMP La Moye by Jersey's Royal Court for money laundering under the Proceeds of Crime (Jersey) Law and for the supply of cocaine.
Following the sentencing, Senior Manager Luke Goddard commented: “This operation is a perfect example of the close working relationship between JCIS, GBA, and SoJP, and our ability to conduct covert operations against drug trafficking syndicates operating across the Islands. It also demonstrates that JCIS will target the proceeds of drug trafficking as well as the drugs themselves.”
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Pictured top: Ayers, who was sentenced this morning.
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