Two Lorry Drivers Jailed for 27 Years After Massive Heroin Haul at Harwich Port
Two Polish lorry drivers have been locked up for a combined 27 years after a National Crime Agency (NCA) sting uncovered 32 kilos of heroin at Harwich port.
Heroin Hidden Among Legitimate Cargo
Stanislaw Walczak, 43, and Robert Wyzuj, 55, were stopped at Harwich Docks on 18 February 2020 after arriving from the Netherlands. Border Force officers searched their HGV and found 64 blocks of heroin concealed inside a bag hidden within a cardboard box, alongside their declared plastics load destined for Leicester.
DNA Evidence Secures Conviction
Both men claimed they had no idea they were transporting Class A drugs. But NCA investigators linked their DNA to the handles of the bag containing the heroin. Officers also recovered pepper spray and a mobile phone connecting them to criminal contacts in the Netherlands.
The seized heroin had an estimated street value of £3.2 million if cut and sold across the UK.
Harsh Sentences for Dangerous Dealers
Following a seven-day trial at Chelmsford Crown Court, Walczak was sentenced to 14 years and Wyzuj 13 years for importing Class A drugs and possession of a prohibited weapon.
NCA Branch Commander Lydia Bloomfield said: “This seizure prevented a substantial amount of heroin from landing on our streets. Heroin is supplied by criminal groups involved in violence and county-lines exploitation, and these two were key parts of that destructive system.
Disrupting this supply chain hits ruthless criminals where it hurts. The NCA will continue working with Border Force and partners to stop illegal drugs reaching the UK.”
