Air Freight Boss Busted for £361m Cocaine and Heroin Haul
Sulaiman Bawa, 52, from Feltham, used his airport cargo know-how to help criminals smuggle tons of cocaine and heroin into the UK. Running Airport Cargo Care Ltd, he advised gangs on importing drugs from South America, South Asia, and the Middle East through air freight.
Massive Drug Plot Uncovered by Police
The Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU) launched an investigation in March 2020. They revealed Bawa was part of a crime ring planning to bring in 3,058kg of cocaine and 2,357kg of heroin. If sold on the streets, the haul could have been worth over £361 million.
Bawa tried to cover his tracks by using Encrochat, an encrypted messaging app favoured by criminals. But police seized the platform’s servers in Operation Venetic, uncovering thousands of secret messages coordinating the drug moves.
Digital Forensics Crack the Case
Arrested in July 2020, Bawa denied being the user codenamed ‘PARKPOINT.’ Yet investigators proved he was behind the messages through clever analysis of photos and phone data. In one image of a threatening chat, detectives spotted a unique light shade reflected in the background—a match to his home’s décor.
Expert sleuthing tied Bawa’s ‘clean’ phone to encrypted chats planning to hide drugs inside pallets and food boxes. This evidence was key to his conviction.
15 Years for Drug Import Conspiracy
After a trial at Luton Crown Court, Bawa was found guilty of conspiracy to import heroin and cocaine. On Friday 14 April, he was sentenced to 15 years behind bars.
“Bawa was a key cog in a sophisticated criminal network importing vast quantities of drugs into the UK,” said Detective Constable Hayley Kendall from ERSOU.
“Despite his attempts to hide his activities, our specialist team’s tireless work ended his criminal enterprise. These drugs cause misery across the country—from gang violence to addiction. ERSOU will continue hunting down offenders who harm communities across eastern England.”
