WIREDGOV

A group of four people who imported at least £1 million worth of cocaine into the UK from Jamaica have been sentenced to a total of 37 and a half years in prison, with one more still to be sentenced.

The National Crime Agency began investigating the group in June 2016 following a Border Force seizure of 5kg of cocaine concealed in packets of coconut milk powder at Manchester Airport.

NCA officers identified Nigel Roberts, 41, a barber from Birmingham, as the ringleader and organiser of three subsequent importations of cocaine into UK airports.

Each seizure consisted of between 5kg-10kg of cocaine, some in identical packaging as the first, with others disguised as coffee or LaSoy Milk.

In the case of the first importation, Roberts worked with Craig Mullings, 46, and his girlfriend Diana Ricketts, 35, to recruit a courier in order to bring the drugs back from Jamaica in a suitcase.

Phone records identified that Roberts was in contact with the couple and other members of his network at key times around each importation. 

He would mainly communicate with them and pass on instructions using WhatsApp voice notes.

Days after the arrest of Deannia Madden-Walker, 47, who attempted to smuggle 5kg of cocaine into Gatwick Airport, Roberts sent a voice note saying, “I’m on a bad luck streak, one of my ships crashed again.”

In addition to complicit couriers, the group sometimes used vulnerable and unknowing participants to smuggle the drugs for them.

Abdul Thomas, 34, assisted Roberts with the fourth importation in December 2016. Thomas sent him a voice note previously to underline the plan, instructing him to “take out what you need to take out” from the suitcases before sending them down to London.

After receiving the cocaine, Roberts would split it up to be sold on to street-level dealers. NCA officers searching his barber shop also recovered crack cocaine which was packaged ready to be supplied.

At Minshull Street Crown Court Roberts was recently sentenced to 13 and a half years in prison and Thomas was sentenced to 12 years. Ricketts and Madden-Walker received eight years and six years respectively. 

Mullings will be sentenced at a later date.

Another member of the network, Dwane Johnson AKA Boasty, who was charged with being a courier went on the run before he could stand trial and remains wanted by the NCA. 

John Hughes, Operations Manager at the NCA, said: “Roberts and his network were involved in a potentially lucrative business importing class A drugs into the UK.

“Not only would these profits have gone on to fund the supply of dangerous drugs, it would have fuelled the violence we so regularly see associated with this kind of activity.

“Crack cocaine is also a key commodity within the county lines model and contributes to the exploitation of vulnerable people and children.
“We work closely with our Border Force and international colleagues to stem the flow of illegal drugs into the UK and protect the public from the inevitable harm this causes.”

Adam Knight, Assistant Director of Border Force North, said: “These interceptions represent a significant amount of Class A drugs which have been prevented by Border Force from ending up on the UK’s streets where they could cause significant harm.



"Working with the National Crime Agency and other law enforcement partners we will continue to tackle smuggling of all kinds and bring those responsible to justice."