December 3rd 2024.
Five individuals have been sentenced to a combined total of 116 years in jail after being found guilty of smuggling £200 million worth of cocaine into the UK. This group of drug smugglers operated under the disguise of being wholesale grocers, using a shipment of bananas to hide their illegal activities. The drugs, weighing a shocking 2.3 tonnes, were seized by Border Force agents at Portsmouth harbour in February of 2021.
The gang's plan was to switch the drugs with more bananas and then deliver the haul to a fake grocery warehouse they had set up in Enfield, north London. Little did they know, two undercover officers posing as lorry drivers were sent to make the delivery. Shortly after, armed police stormed the warehouse and arrested four of the gang members. They also discovered a loaded revolver hidden on a roof beam and an electronic key to a flat in Islington. However, upon further inspection, it was clear that the flat was empty and no one had been staying there, as police found another 33 kilo blocks of cocaine worth an additional £1.24 million wholesale and with a street value of at least £2 million hidden under the kitchen cabinets.
The five individuals involved in this drug smuggling operation were Petko Zhutev, Olsi Ebeja, Bruno Kuci, Gjergji Diko, and Erik Muci. Zhutev, who was in charge of receiving the drugs at the warehouse, had previously been cleared of possession of a revolver and ammunition with intent to endanger life, but during his retrial, he admitted to importing a class A drug. He was sentenced to 27 years in prison. The other four individuals received sentences ranging from 17 to 33 years, with Judge Rebecca Trowler KC stating that Zhutev played a leading role in the importation.
The judge also noted that Zhutev had a history of criminal offenses, including making a fraudulent application for a Covid bounce back loan. Muci, described as a "key organizer", was given a 26-year sentence for the importation and an additional seven years for the supply of class A drugs after police found 33kg of cocaine at a property he was associated with. Ebeja, who had been in the UK since 1999, was described as having an "operational function" in the enterprise, including being a driver. Kuci, who had recently arrived in the UK from Albania, and Diko, who had also moved to the UK from Albania and worked as a mechanic, had both previously pleaded guilty to the charges. They were given sentences of 21 and 18 years, respectively.
During the trial, it was revealed that the drugs had a potential street value of at least £186 million and were intended to be sold by various organized crime groups in London and the UK. In fact, investigators found nine empty suitcases that were meant to be filled with cash from drug sales. The National Crime Agency (NCA) noted that the smugglers used different branded stamps on the drugs to correspond with specific organized crime groups.
John Coles, head of specialist operations at the NCA, stated that the sentences were the result of a thorough investigation and that intercepting the massive quantity of cocaine prevented it from reaching UK communities and causing harm. Gemma Burns, a senior crown prosecutor at the CPS, added that the gang's "banana box scheme" was foiled and dangerous drugs were kept off the streets. She also stated that these sentences send a clear message to other criminals that their actions will not be tolerated and they will be brought to justice. The CPS also announced their intention to commence confiscation proceedings to reclaim the profits from the illegal activities.
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