Five drug smugglers were recently sentenced to a total of 116 years in prison for importing £200 million worth of cocaine into the UK hidden inside a shipment of bananas. The drug had been seized by Border Force agents at Portsmouth harbour when it arrived from Colombia in February 2021. The gang had set up a fake grocery warehouse in Enfield, north London, where they planned to receive the drug. However, undercover officers posing as lorry drivers delivered the haul to the warehouse before armed police intervened and arrested four of the gang members. A loaded revolver was also found hidden on a roof beam at the scene.
Crime boss Petko Zhutev, who was responsible for receiving the Colombian drugs at the warehouse, was sentenced to 27 years in prison for his role in the importation. Other members of the gang, including Erik Muci, Olsi Ebeja, Bruno Kuci, and Gjergji Diko, were also sentenced to prison terms ranging from 17 to 33 years. The judge described the operation as sophisticated and well-resourced, involving international elements from Bulgaria and Albania. The cocaine had a potential street value of at least £186 million, making it one of the largest inland seizures ever in the UK at the time.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) reported that the drugs had different branded stamps on them, corresponding to specific organized crime groups planning to sell them on the streets of London and the wider UK. Nine empty suitcases were also found, which were intended to be filled with cash generated from drug sales. John Coles, head of specialist operations at the NCA, emphasized that intercepting the large haul of cocaine prevented it from reaching UK communities and protected the public from the dangers of class A drugs and associated violence. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) stated that the gang’s use of a banana import business as a front for smuggling cocaine represented international drug trafficking on an industrial scale.
In sentencing the drug smugglers, Judge Trowler highlighted the sophisticated nature of the operation, which included measures such as installing laminated glass at the warehouse to limit visibility and using hi-vis jackets to create the impression of a legitimate business. The use of Dutch sim phones and orange stickers on banana boxes further demonstrated the level of planning and organization involved. The CPS has announced plans to commence confiscation proceedings to reclaim the proceeds of the crimes, ensuring that the gang members will be off the streets for a long time. The sentences handed down serve as a warning to criminals looking to flood the UK with drugs that law enforcement will continue to pursue and prosecute those involved in such illegal activities.
