A MAN has been jailed for six years for his involvement in a major drug supplying plot.

Daniel Green, 59, of Great Harwood, had admitted his role but another man, Gerald Deaffern, from Darwen, denied any involvement and a jury failed to agree verdicts. A third man, a Bury haulage contractor, was jailed for 11 years after being convicted of involvement in conspiring to supply £2million worth of cannabis.

The 56-year-old man, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was cleared of a similar charge involving cocaine, heroin and ecstasy.

Following more than 13 hours' deliberations, the jury failed to agree verdicts on 39-year-old Deaffern, of Sunny Hill Close, Darwen, and he is to face a re-trial. Green, of Lomax Street, had pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply £1.3million worth of cannabis and amphetamine.

The arrests of the men followed an investigation by Lancashire Police Major Crime Unit, code-named Operation Jefferson, which followed 13 shipments of drugs from Holland believed to be worth more than £100million into the North West over two years ending in March last year.

Jailing the two men, Judge Denis Clark said that he was dealing with two businessmen, men of the world. "No-one goes into this filthy business, trading in drugs, unless they do it as a deliberate decision. People like you, family men, bring it in to make ready cash, to give yourselves a life-style that enhances you. You are businessmen who did it for greed and there is no excuse," said Judge Clark.

Raymond Wigglesworth, QC, prosecuting, said that the Bury man had been present several times when drugs were unloaded at his premises. He would unlock the warehouse and let the men in but did not physically help in unloading them.

He would see that the legitimate consignment, which had been used to conceal the drugs, such as washing powder boxes, had already been delivered and he would see the men loading smaller vans with parcels and holdalls.

Evidence against him and Deaffern was given by a supergrass, who cannot be identified for legal reasons,, who has admitted his involvement and is currently serving seven years.

Mr Wigglesworth said that Green had run a haulage business in Rishton and in early October 2001 he had been approached by another man, who was not before the court, and asked to become involved in a drug smuggling operation.

He was then involved in five successful importations involving cannabis and amphetamine and was paid £2,5,00 for the first one and £5,000 for each of the other four.

He was arrested after £20million worth of Class A and Class B drugs were seized by Customs officers at Hull in December 2001. When questioned he admitted being involved with only Class B drugs.

Alistair Webster, QC, defending Green, who has no previous convictions, said that he had been a small scale haulier and market trader who had succumbed to temptation at a financially vulnerable time.

He originally been told the consignments involved cigarettes but when a package was accidentally broken open he realised it involved cannabis. "The money he obtained has poisoned his whole life."

Green ended up living in a caravan at his haulage yard, which he was unable to sell after his customers withdrew their business, and he had a circulatory problem for which he had not bothered to get treatment.

Deaffern, of Sunny Hill Close, Darwen, was further remanded in custody to await his re-trial.