THREE men, two from Kent and one from London, are starting heavy sentences after being convicted of conspiring to supply a tonne of cannabis resin.

Roy Murray of The Parade, Greatstone, near Folkestone, was jailed for nine years, Anthony Henry, 66, of Palace Square, Upper Norwood, received seven years and John Everest, 59, of Beaver Road, Ashford, was given six years at Canterbury Crown Court.

The judge said the three played a vital part in a major cannabis distribution organisation.

Arrests came after 1,081kg of resin with a commercial value of one and half million pounds - up £4m on the streets - was delivered in three crates by mistake to an Ashford freight forwarding firm who opened a crate and contacted the police when they discovered the contents.

Police swapped the cannabis for builders sand and mounted a sting to arrest Murray and Everest when they arrived at a Woodchurch yard, owned by a fourth defendant, Leslie Waters, 65, from Stockbury, near Maidstone, who was acquitted and discharged.

Mr Waters had borrowed a lorry to collect the crates from Kent Link at the Henwood Industrial Estate to take them to Woodchurch.

Although not the Mr Big, Murray was said to have given the instructions and prevailed on Henry who set up a bogus company for the importation, while Everest was the strong arm man.

Murray received a concurrent sentence for possessing a quantity of herbal cannabis with intent to supply.

Murray's girlfriend, Susan Sparks, 50, also from Greatstone, was also cleared of conspiracy and discharged.