WIREDGOV

SOCA cracks Venezuelan connection

SERIOUS OGANISED CRIME AGENCY News Release issued by COI News Distribution Service. 26 September 2008

International drug runners who tried to smuggle 337kg of almost pure cocaine into the UK by hiding it inside the hull of a boat were sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court today.

Paul Clough and Paul Stromberg were given 18 years and 26 years respectively for masterminding a plot which would have seen cocaine from Venezuela worth £40m reach the UK's streets. A 10 year post-release travel restriction was imposed on each of them.

Intelligence from the Serious Organised Crime Agency led the Venezuelan authorities to X-ray the boat in a warehouse in Puerto Cabello, from where it was due to be shipped to Europe. Three hundred blocks of cocaine, weighing 337kg, were concealed skilfully within the fibreglass hull of the vessel. The drugs had a purity of 81 per cent - in effect almost pure cocaine.

Bill Hughes, Director General of SOCA, commented:

"Drug trafficking, especially Class A drugs, causes misery for local communities. SOCA and our partners are tackling the problem on a global level. We have forged new links with the Venezuelan authorities which will be of enormous value in future investigations.

"Each year, tonnes of Class A drugs are prevented from reaching the UK by joint working between law enforcement partners in the UK and overseas. In the last year alone, SOCA has helped seize almost 90 tonnes of Class A drugs, costing the criminals who owned them at least £250m."

Alison Saunders, Director of the CPS Organised Crime Division said: "The charge of conspiracy to commit an offence outside the United Kingdom is rarely used in this country in other than terrorism cases and reflected an innovative approach on the part of the CPS Organised Crime Division to this type of criminality. It reflected the actions of the defendants in conspiring in the United Kingdom to commit to a course of conduct in a foreign country which would be an offence in both jurisdictions."

Notes to Editors:

1. The Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) is an intelligence-led agency formed in April 2006 to tackle Class A drugs and organised immigration crime as top priorities. Other priorities are fraud against individuals and the private sector, hi tech crime, counterfeiting, firearms, serious robbery and recovery of the proceeds of crime.

2. SOCA is an Executive Non-Departmental Public Body sponsored by, but operationally independent from, the Home Office.

3. The trial of Paul Stromberg opened at Woolwich Crown Court on 28 April 2008 and was prosecuted by the Crown Prosecution Service.

4. Paul Kevin Stromberg and Paul William Clough were charged on a three count indictment: as follows:

- Count 1

Paul Stromberg faced count one alone of possessing a controlled drug of class A with intent to supply contrary to Section 5(3) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. He pleaded guilty to this at the start of the trial.

Paul Kevin Stromberg and Paul William Clough were charged together on two further counts:

- Count 2

Conspiracy to commit an offence outside the United Kingdom contrary to Section 1A of the Criminal Law Act 1977

- Count 3 (not put to jury)

Conspiracy to participate in a drugs trafficking offence outside the United Kingdom, contrary to Section 1(1) of the Criminal Law Act 1977.

5. Stromberg pleaded guilty to count one and not guilty to count two, Clough pleaded guilty to count two and count three was left on file.

6. The jury was not put in charge of count three for Stromberg only count two.

7. The essence of the S 1A offence reflected the extra territorial nature of the offending by conspiring in the United Kingdom to commit to a course of conduct in a foreign country which conduct would be an offence in both jurisdictions.

8. An offence under Section 1A Criminal Law Act 1977 is one of the limited categories of offences that require the consent of the Attorney General. (Section 4 (5) Criminal Law Act 1977) This was sought and approved by the Attorney General in August 2007.

9. On the 24th February 2007 337kg of powder containing cocaine was seized from a boat which was located in a warehouse in Venezuela. The cocaine was concealed within its fibreglass hull. In due course it was to be transported to Europe where the cocaine would be sold.

10. Forensic examination of this cocaine showed its purity to be 81%: in effect almost pure cocaine. In due course this cocaine would have been cut or mixed with agents, prior to sale thereby more than doubling the weight and increasing the profits.

11. The conspiracy involved a number of other people, some based in Venezuela. Paul Clough lived in Leeds. Paul Stromberg was living in Abergavenny, Gwent.

SOCA Press Office: 0870 268 8100