NCA Cracks Down on £18m Cocaine Smuggling Operation
The NCA's investigation and the subsequent conviction of the two men demonstrate the agency's commitment to disrupting and dismantling organized crime networks, and the significant impact that these efforts can have on public safety and the reduction of harm caused by illicit substances.
Two men, Scott Johnston and Michael May, have been convicted of conspiring to smuggle hundreds of kilos of cocaine into the UK, with an estimated street value of nearly £20m, following a two-week trial and a thorough investigation led by the National Crime Agency (NCA).
The drugs were secreted aboard a cargo ship from South America and offloaded into the English Channel, where they were recovered by the NCA. Johnston, 37, from Hampshire, and May, 47, from Essex, were found guilty of conspiracy to import Class A drugs. Five other men have previously pleaded guilty to the same charge, and all seven conspirators are due to be sentenced on August 1.
The investigation involved trawling through CCTV footage, call data, and phone messages, and was led by the NCA Senior Investigating Officer, Barry Vinall. Vinall stated that the cocaine would have caused significant harm if it had reached the streets, but thanks to the vigilance of the Border Force officers, it will be destroyed instead. The recovered cocaine had a wholesale value of £6.2m and a street value of £18.4m.
The successful conviction of the two men and the recovery of the cocaine is a significant blow to organized crime and a testament to the effectiveness of the NCA and Border Force in combating drug smuggling. The incident highlights the importance of cooperation between law enforcement agencies in preventing the importation of illicit substances into the UK.