Six international drug smugglers have been jailed for a total of 38 years for their part in a cocaine trafficking operation which involved drugs flown to Northamptonshire via the Netherlands and France.
The Corby-based gang were jailed today at Northampton Crown Court by Judge Lynn Tayton QC who said they were prepared to import £1.7 million of cocaine using a £31,000 light aircraft bought for the purpose.
She said: “This concerns an organised criminal conspiracy to import substantial amounts of cocaine into the UK for onward supply.”
It followed an investigation by the East Midlands Special Operations Unit – Serious Organised Crime (EMSOU-SOC) team and Northamptonshire Police. The operation resulted in the seizure of five kilos of cocaine with a street value of £1.7 million.
Five of the men were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply controlled drugs on Sunday, June 26, 2011, while a further man, Abdelilah Hilali, was arrested in London on Wednesday, August 24 last year.
All defendants pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import Class A drugs and conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
Ringleader Adel Chouhaib, 33, of Lingfield Walk, Corby was sentenced to 10 years for his involvement in the cocaine conspiracy. He also received an 18 month sentence, to be served consecutively, for conspiracy to supply cannabis from a drugs house in Grendon Avenue, Corby
Abdelilah Hilali, 34, Marsham Street, London was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment.
Christopher McGlone, 27, of Occupation Road, Corby received five years’ imprisonment.
James McGlone, 30, also of Occupation Road, Corby was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment.
Wayne Burgess, 36, of Westfields Road, Corby, who was the pilot specially trained for the task, was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment.
Courier and ex-paratrooper Richard Murray, 48, of Greenhill Rise, Corby was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment.
He received 12 months to be served concurrently, for a separate offence of obtaining £50,000 of war pension by deception and fraud.
The group operated as an organised crime network with Adel Chouhaib organising the importation and dissemination of the drugs. The operation was funded by the McGlone brothers, who were also involved in distributing the cocaine.
Hilali arranged for the supply of drugs from Amsterdam while Burgess and Murray acted as couriers.
The drugs were collected from Amsterdam by Murray who drove by car to meet Burgess at an airstrip in Abbeville, France.
He then flew back to the UK with the shipment of drugs in a micro-light aircraft before landing at Deenethorpe Airfield near Corby.
Co-ordinated arrests were made after Mr Burgess landed the plane and Mr Murray re-entered the country in Dover, Kent. James Thomas, prosecuting, said: “This was an organised criminal conspiracy. At the heart of the conspiracy was Adel Chouhaib, for recruiting Burgess and training him to fly the plane.
“Burgess, recruited by Adel Chouhaib and financed by him and others, trained as a pilot. Richard Murray was recruited as a courier.”
In September 2010, Wayne Burgess began training at the Nene Valley Microlights centre, near Peterborough, in April he completed that training.
In May 2011, he bought a microlight aircraft paid for in cash and stored at Deenthorpe Airfield.
Chouhaib admitted being a part of the organised crime group but challenged the prosecution case that he was in fact the ring leader. This resulted in a three day Newton Hearing in court to determine his role in the conspiracy.
Detective Inspector Greg Maides, senior investigating officer, from EMSOU-SOC said: “This was a hugely complex operation involving a number of different law enforcement agencies based both here and abroad.
“The criminal enterprise was highly planned, with preparation starting as early as 2010 when Mr Burgess began to train as a pilot.
“The drugs were destined for Northamptonshire and the Midlands and had they not been intercepted, they would have had a serious impact on the communities living and working there.
“I’d like to thank the officers and staff from EMSOU-SOC and Northamptonshire Police who worked so diligently to ensure this group ended up behind bars.
“This is an example of good solid police work with assistance from our counterparts in the Netherlands and France.
“We were supported by the Metropolitan Police who arrested Mr Hilali on our behalf, the Border Force who intercepted Murray as he re-entered the country and SOCA who liaised with non-UK law enforcement on our behalf.
“A significant role was also played by the Crown Prosecution Service’s Complex Case Unit in presenting such a clear and persuasive case.”
Lawrence English, Head of the CPS East Midlands Complex Casework Unit added: “Importing and supplying drugs of this nature can have a devastating effect on people’s lives. The Crown Prosecution Service is determined to play our part in keeping our streets safe from this kind of threat.
“We worked closely with the forces who thwarted this criminal operation, providing advice throughout the investigation from an early stage.
“Thanks to the diligence and teamwork of the investigators we were able to present a case so compelling that the defendants had no option but to plead guilty.”
A Border Force spokesperson said: “Our officers are on constant alert to keep class A drugs and other banned substances out of the UK.
“Working together with other law enforcement colleagues we are determined to stop them reaching our streets and our communities.”
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