Three members of a drugs ring were jailed today after their operation was smashed by undercover police. Motorcycle enthusiast Rod Budding, 40, used a customised 180mph bike to collect drugs from supplier Anthony Smith in Kent. The heroin and cocaine was destined for the streets of Bristol, where police said Budding was a "significant" player in the criminal underworld.
At Bristol Crown Court today, Budding, of Begbrook Park, Frenchay, was jailed for 12 years after admitting conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine between April and July 2004. Smith, 60, of Heritage Quay, Gravesend, was jailed for 17 years after being convicted of the same charges. The pair were arrested when police, who had been keeping them under surveillance, swooped at the Oakdene Cafe, near Wrotham, Kent. Officers found more than 5kg of heroin and almost 1kg of cocaine in a tank bag strapped to Budding's bike.
Prosecutor Don Tait told Bristol Crown Court: "A considerable quantity of heroin, cocaine and cash was seized. "The Crown's case is that Budding was being supplied by Smith with controlled drugs on that occasion, and, by inference, on other occasions." Budding was arrested before he could get back on to his sports bike to return to Bristol with the drugs. An Avon and Somerset Police source said Budding's Suzuki GSXR was heavily modified, with parts similar to those used in racing machines.
The source said Budding used to race at a semi-professional level and would have been able to out-run police vehicles on his high performance motorbike.The court heard a further 995 grams of cocaine and more than two kilograms of cannabis were found at an address in Leightermans Mews, Gravesend, the home of Smith's associate, 50-year-old Stephen Howard. Howard was jailed for five years after pleading guilty to possessing cocaine and cannabis with intent to supply.
