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London couriers dealt in “top of the chain” cocaine

Two men have been sentenced to a total of almost 13 years in prison for supplying high purity cocaine to Londoners.

Latif Lito, 35, and Ghenadie Borta, 34, were arrested on 2 August 2017, following an investigation by the National Crime Agency and Met Police Organised Crime Partnership (OCP).

Officers moved in to detain the pair in a pub car park on Jack Cornwell Street in East London after they saw Borta fill a rucksack with six kilos of cocaine from his van and hand the bag over to Lito. Forensic examination of the drugs found that it was 91% pure, giving it a potential street value of £600,000.

Officers searching Borta’s van discovered a specially constructed concealment in the passenger door which he had been using to transport drugs.

Both men pleaded guilty to supplying class A drugs and Borta stated he had been paid £1,000 to make the delivery. On 19 September 2017 at Blackfriars Crown Court he was sentenced to six years and five months in prison.

Lito was also sentenced to six years and five months in prison.

Matthew McMillan from the Organised Crime Partnership, said: “Organised criminals involved in drug distribution are often also linked to violence, exploitation and gang culture.

“They rely heavily on couriers like Lito and Borta, so theirs was a key part in a longer, damaging chain.

“In seizing these drugs, we’ve removed a significant revenue stream from this criminal network which would have been used to fund further criminality.”

 

Channel website: http://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/

Original article link: http://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/news/1214-london-couriers-dealt-in-top-of-the-chain-cocaine

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