Taxi Drugs Haul: Man Jailed Over £30k Cocaine Stash Found in Boot
A 23-year-old man has been slammed with a hefty jail sentence after cops found £30,000 worth of cocaine hidden in the boot of a taxi in east London.
Proactive Police Stop Cracks Huge Drug Bust
Perry Rickenberg, from Ricardo Street, E1, was caught after Met officers stopped his private hire vehicle on the A13 dual carriageway. Officers witnessed him tossing a suspicious package into the boot, captured on bodycam.
Police searched the car and uncovered a kilo of cocaine – street value around £30,000. Both Rickenberg and the driver were hauled in; Rickenberg was charged with possession with intent to supply class A drugs, while the driver faced conspiracy charges.
More Drugs, Cash and Weapons Found at Rickenberg’s Home
Met detectives then drilled into Rickenberg’s address, uncovering more class A drugs, scales, two luxury watches including a Rolex, CS spray, and over £10,000 in cash.
He was slapped with multiple charges including possession with intent to supply drugs, money laundering, and possession of a prohibited weapon.
Jail Sentence Sends Strong Message
On 27 April at Wood Green Crown Court, Rickenberg copped four years and eight months behind bars. All sentences run concurrently.
“Being sentenced to more than four years in prison is an excellent result and shows just how seriously drugs offences are taken by the courts,” said Detective Inspector Glenn Butler of Specialist Crime.
“Despite challenges like the pandemic, our teams keep cracking down on drugs and criminality. The public can be sure criminals will be caught and locked up.”
The arrest dates back to September 2019, but the tough sentence shows law enforcement’s no-nonsense approach to cracking down on drug supply in London.
