A convicted drug dealer from Hersden is starting a prison sentence of 10 years and four months after being extradited from Spain where he fled nearly three years ago.

Robert Colyer, 41, a second-hand car dealer from Island Road, fled the country after failing to attend a court hearing in November 2006 while on bail.

He was found guilty in his absence on January 17 2007 at Canterbury Crown Court of conspiring to supply controlled drugs worth more than £2 million and was sentenced to 10 years in jail a month later.

Judge Van Der Bijl increased the prison term on Wednesday by four months as Colyer had previously failed to attend court.

Colyer came to the attention of Kent Police in May 2005 when officers from the Scottish Drug Enforcement Agency were investigating a drug courier.

Their investigation led them to Colyer’s commercial garage on the outskirts of Canterbury.

The drug courier was arrested when he returned to Scotland with 100 kilos of herbal cannabis that had an approximate street value of £300,000.

At the same time, Kent Police arrested Colyer who has previous convictions for drug smuggling.

The investigation by the organised crime unit within Kent Police revealed that Colyer had imported 630 kilos of cannabis from Italy via Holland with an estimated street value of more than £2 million.

He absconded before facing trial with his wife and two children but a Kent Police investigation revealed that he was living in Malaga, Spain and a European arrest warrant was obtained. In July Spanish authorities arrested Colyer on behalf of Kent Police.

Det Insp Eddie Fox, from the organised crime unit said: “It is very satisfying to finally bring this case to a conclusion.

“Colyer was a major player in an international drugs syndicate that knew no boundaries. This was a particularly serious crime made worse by the fact that the offender went on the run and lived as a fugitive for nearly three years.

“This case sends a clear message to anyone involved in this type of crime. Kent Police will do everything possible to ensure that offenders are held accountable for their actions and where they run from the law we will pursue them until caught and bring them back to Britain no matter how much time passes.

“Kent Police will now apply to the courts for the £92,000 in cash that was restrained by officers following the original investigation.”