Three men have been jailed for their part in a conspiracy involving about £1.5 million worth of cannabis smuggled into the country from Thailand.

Kevin Bennett (left), 46, was jailed for six years, Nigel White, 29, for four years and 42-year-old Stuart McCall (below left) for two years and nine months.

Bennett and McCall, both of Glovers Mill, Rochester, admitted conspiracy to supply drugs. White, of Bligh Way, Strood, denied the charge but was convicted.

White (Right) was cleared of cultivating cannabis and possessing a stun gun. Bennett admitted those charges.

Maidstone Crown Court heard White was living with Bennett, his uncle, when police discovered the plot.

Steven Perian, prosecuting, said two consignments of cannabis were smuggled into the UK from Thailand.

Two large boxes came via Bangkok and were intercepted at Heathrow Airport on September 2 last year. The drug, hidden in picture frames, was to be delivered to a Strood address.

The 80 packages contained 72.19 kilos of herbal cannabis. The drugs were seized. They would have fetched about £720,000 on the street.

The second consignment was shipped under the guise of flat pack furniture. It was intercepted at Southampton docks on September 18.

The total weight was 83.19 kilos worth over £831,000. It was to be delivered to an address in Glovers Mill, Rochester.

Mr Perian said the total value of the consignments was more than £1,551,800.

Kent police took out 44 of the 88 packages and replaced them with sand. They were then sent on to the Rochester address.

The three were caught on surveillance cameras set up by police. Bennett and White were seen looking out for the arrival of one of the consignments.

When the house was searched 22 plant pots of cannabis were found, along with a stun gun.

Mr Perion said Bennett had 31 convictions for 69 offences, including burglary and assault. None of the three had drugs convictions.

Judge Jeremy Carey said they were to be sentenced for serious drug trafficking offences. Bennett, he said, was plainly the most culpable.

He told him: “You were playing for high stakes and today is the day when you and your co-defendants have to pay the price for the risks you took in the expectation you would get away with it.”