SENTENCES totalling almost 60 years have been imposed on seven crewmen involved in a £3.75 million conspiracy to import cocaine into Britain.

Among the seven was Conrad Rose, 37, whose brother Franklyn is a star West Indian cricketer.

Customs believe the drugs were bought when the luxury liner Sundream stopped off at Curacao on a South American cruise and that they were going to be smuggled into the country piecemeal when the ship docked in Southampton.

The seven men were described by prosecuting barrister David Bartlett as "spokes in the wheel with unknown people at the centre".

All seven defendants come from the West Indies and they were arrested following a joint operation between Southampton and Brighton-based customs officers, assisted by Hampshire police as well as customs officers in Sweden and Finland.

Amelus Snagg, a 28-year-old galley cleaner, and cabin attendant Agrey Galbraith, 37, were arrested in Southampton with almost one kilogramme of cocaine strapped to their bodies. They were both jailed for eight years.

A search of the crew's accommodation resulted in the discovery of drugs and cash. Samuel Thaxter, a 32-year-old galley worker, was arrested after more than £21,000 in cash together with about half a kilo of cocaine was found. He was jailed for 15 years. Storekeeper Ian Barnett, 26 - an international chess player - was found to have more than £25,000 in a suitcase and Robert Grant, 33, a galley worker, was detained after nearly £19,000 in cash was uncovered. They were jailed for four years and six years respectively.

Southampton Crown Court heard the Sundream later sailed to Sweden where another 4kg of cocaine was found on board. The following day, Finnish customs, using a sniffer dog, discovered a further 38kg on board.

Father-of-three Rose was the next to be arrested after his fingerprints were found on packaging in which cocaine was hidden. He was jailed for eight years. Bartender Maxwell Jarrett, 42, was caught at Heathrow Airport with more than £34,000 money on him. He was also trapped by fingerprints left on packaging and was jailed for ten years.

All pleaded guilty to conspiring so smuggle cocaine into Britain between May 1 and June 21 last year, except Grant and Thaxter who had denied the charge.

Customs and Excise spokesman Amanda Spencer said after the case: "We are very pleased with the outcome of this international operation. The high degree of international co-operation we received on such a complicated investigation was excellent. Drug smuggling is a despicable crime and the length of these sentences reflect how seriously we and courts regard it.''