A UK court convicted 18 individuals who were part of an extensive criminal network responsible for smuggling heroin, cocaine, and cannabis across the nation between 2015 and 2018, generating billions of dollars in illicit revenue.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) reported that the operation’s scale was so significant it led to two criminal trials. The first lasted 23 months, setting a record for England and Wales, while the second trial continued for nine months.
The investigation into the network began in 2018 when the NCA and Dutch police discovered the gang’s immense criminal reach. Over the course of the smuggling operations, the group is believed to have imported over 50 tons of drugs.
Jurors were informed that the gang concealed narcotics within shipments of strong-smelling food products like onions, garlic, and ginger to evade detection. They also employed encrypted messaging, forged documents, legally changed their names, and acquired active and defunct businesses to mask their activities.
The operation relied on drug shipments from Belgium and the Netherlands, storing the contraband in warehouses across northern England.
British and Dutch authorities collaborated in joint operations that resulted in the interception of 450 kilograms of cocaine and heroin, along with two tons of cannabis during raids at ports in eastern England and the Netherlands. Paul Green, 59, the leader of the criminal group, was sentenced to 32 years in prison after being found guilty of fraud by deception.
Additionally, two of the offenders were extradited from the Netherlands and sentenced to 18 and 20 years in prison, respectively.
