Alan Ernest Burgoyne was found guilty of being knowingly concerned with the importation of a controlled drug and absconding from a trial

Alan Ernest Burgoyne was initially arrested in January 2003 after his fingerprints were found on packages containing cocaine worth more than £200,000 smuggled into Liverpool Airport from Amsterdam by two Brotherod men, Gary Goulding and Thomas Smith. But 54-year-old Burgoyne, of Newall Street, Littleborough, fled the country while awaiting trial.In 2004 Goulding, of Wycherley Road, and Smith, of Daniel Fold, were jailed for six and seven years respectively.During the case the court heard how Burgoyne, who was said to have family links with Smith, was the ringleader of the professional smuggling team and had pressurised the pair to carry the drugs.
The following year Burgoyne was arrested in Holland and jailed for four years for smuggling 111 kilos of heroin and eight kilos of cocaine into the UK.
On his release this March he was extradited to the UK to face trial for his original arrest.At Manchester Crown Court on Friday he was found guilty of being knowingly concerned with the importation of a controlled drug and absconding from a trial.
Judge Anthony Hammond said: "You have been prepared to live on crime for most of your life. This is a filthy trade damaging those that take the drugs and damaging the wider community because they thieve and commit other offences to pay people like you. You were at a serious point in this conspiracy and clearly controlling others."