A corrupt Heathrow baggage handler who "played a vital role" in a £16m drugs smuggling plot deserved every day of his tough jail term, judges have ruled.

Joysen Siven Jhurry, 41, shifted suitcases full of drugs from Brazil onto the domestic flights luggage carousel so that they avoided scrutiny by customs officers.

Over 100kg of cocaine was waved through into the UK before the plot was smashed in December 2016.

Jhurry, of Grange Gardens, Banstead, was locked up for 16 years in April after he admitted conspiracy to import cocaine and cannabis.

Today at London 's Criminal Appeal Court, Mr Justice Goose heard him plead for a sentence cut, claiming he was treated too harshly.

The court heard Jhurry headed up a group known within the conspiracy as the "rip-off team."

They moved luggage laden with drugs from flights coming in from Brazil onto baggage carousels reserved for domestic flights.

The bags would then be collected by couriers arriving on internal flights from other UK airports, who could exit Heathrow without going through customs.

Eventually, however, two shipments were "intercepted" and Jhurry was arrested.

His lawyers argued he had not played a more serious role in the plot than others involved who got shorter sentences.

They also said he should have got a bigger discount for pleading guilty over a year before he was sentenced.

But, throwing out his challenge, Mr Justice Goose said: "Jhurry was the mastermind of the rip-off team.

"He was to be sentenced for conspiracy to import class A drugs exceeding 100kg.

"He acted in clear breach of trust, having been employed to handle baggage at Heathrow Airport.

"The rip-off team was responsible for the central act in transferring the drugs from the international baggage carousel to the domestic carousel.

"This was central to the success of the conspiracy."

The judge concluded: "Given the seriousness of the offending, insufficient weight was not given to mitigating factors.

"This sentence is not manifestly excessive or wrong in principle. We dismiss this appeal."