KSL Toys owner Kristopher Darren Scott has been handed a five-year sentence for importing the banned 4-MEC drug inside a batch of robotic fish toys.
The toy firm owner admitted a charge of importing the Class B drug on November 27th, 2013.
Scott, 33 from Frosses Road, Dunloy was behind the largest seizure in Northern Ireland of the batch of drugs that was smuggled in from China and hidden in a batch of robotic fish destined for Scott’s firm.
Scott has been told he will serve half the sentence in prison, with the remainder spent on licence upon his release.
The BBC reports that a total of 24kgs of the drug Methylmethcathinone were found wrapped in silver packaging – making it Northern Ireland’s largest haul of the illegal substance to date.
Scott was told by the judge that it was a ‘sophisticated, carefully planned criminal operation’ in which he ‘played a leading role.’
Belfast Crown Court head how Scott stood to gain between £96,000 and more than £240,000 from the drugs.
A defence lawyer claimed that Scott’s involvement was an “isolated incident” and revealed the businessman was “ashamed and disgraced at his own behavior and greed”.
He also told the court that his client had shown “genuine and sincere remorse” for his actions and the effect it would have on his wife and two young children.