A man from Oldham has admitted his involvement in smuggling five kilos of cannabis to the Isle of Man hidden in a sink.

Gary Ian Chadderton appeared before magistrates on Thursday, October 24, and entered a guilty plea to being concerned in the production of the class B drug to the island.

The 59-year-old, who lives at Turf Lane in Chadderton, has been committed to the Court of General Gaol Delivery for sentencing and will make his first appearance there on November 1.

We previously reported that police seized the drug on September 4, during ‘Operation Dubrovnik’, after Chadderton had travelled here on the ferry from Heysham.

The five kilos of cannabis were found in a makeshift hide built into a sink, and were packed in 14 packages labelled ‘Kinder’, the chocolate manufacturer.

Prosecuting advocate Kate Alexander said that it was common for drug producers to brand their products.

Sniffer dogs then found a further three and a half kilos in an air compressor, which had also been altered to contain a hide, in a shed at a property.

Chadderton is only charged in relation to the five kilos found in the sink.

When interviewed by police, he claimed that he had no knowledge of the drugs in the sink, and had unknowingly brought them to the island while undertaking a legitimate task.

Ms Alexander submitted that the case was too serious to be sentenced in summary court and should be dealt with at the Court of General Gaol Delivery.

Advocate David Reynolds represented Chadderton and agreed that the case should go to the higher court.

Magistrates declined summary court jurisdiction and committed the case.

No bail application was made and the defendant is remanded at the Isle of Man Prison.

A second man, Stephen Balint, aged 61, of Loop Road in Ramsey, has previously appeared in court pleading not guilty to the same charge, as well as possessing cannabis with intent to supply, and possessing an air rifle without a certificate.

He is due to be committed to the Court of General Gaol Delivery on November 21, where he will face a trial on a later date, and is also currently remanded.