A BUSINESSMAN who used his parcel delivery service to send drugs around the country has been jailed for four years and ordered to pay £274,000.

Mark Gard, aged 43, of Armitage Road, Greenwich, was sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court today (7 December) after pleading guilty to a string of drug and fraud offences.

The court heard Gard bought a franchise in a legitimate parcel delivery business and used it as a front for transporting and supplying class A drugs across the UK.

He used a fleet of vans supplied to him by a business post and mail company to deliver the drugs to buyers.

The extent of Gard's operation was uncovered as officers collected evidence suggesting he was not only illegally subletting his council house while claiming benefits, but that he also owned a number of properties in the UK and Spain.

On October 7, a search on Gard's home found more than £100,000 cash hidden in a suitcase on top of his wardrobe and drug paraphernalia including scales and clear resealable bags.

Officers also searched one of the business vans which contained 1.8kg of cocaine and 9oz of cannabis resin all packaged and ready for delivery.

Gard was sentenced to four years for possession with intent to supply class A drugs, one year for possession with intent to supply class B drugs and one year and three months for deception in relation to benefit fraud.

The sentences are to run concurrently.

He pleaded guilty to all three charges on September 8 this year.

Gard was also ordered to pay £274,000 under the Proceeds of Crime Act, with a default sentence of five years if he does not.

Detective Constable John Wills from the Met’s Economic and Specialist Crime Command said afterwards: "This is a significant result that sees the closure of a successful year long investigation undertaken jointly by the Metropolitan Police Service and the London Borough of Greenwich's Corporate Anti-Fraud Team.”