Errol Weir, 49, from england/england/Shiffordshifford/”>shifford/”>Shifford Path, perry-Valevale/”>perry-Valevale/”>Perry Vale, has been locked up for seven years after helping pilot Anastasios Balian, 52, attempt to smuggle 30kg of cocaine into the UK. The drugs, valued at a whopping £2.4 million, were cunningly concealed inside the rear seats of a plane.
Pilot Balian Slapped with 9-Year Sentence
Balian, the pilot behind the daring drug flight, received a heftier jail term of nine years. The smuggling attempt took place in March 2025 and was foiled just in time.
Border Force and National Crime Agency Crack Down
The pair were caught following a sharp investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA). Border Force officers stopped the plane on March 20 at North Weald airfield in Epping, Essex, after it landed from Belgium via Calais.
The operation highlights ongoing efforts to shut down airborne drug smuggling across UK borders.
