A Colombian organised crime gang has been slammed with a hefty 44-year prison sentence for a jaw-dropping cocaine extraction scheme in the heart of London. Police uncovered a secret drug lab hidden in a residential flat where the gang chemically stripped cocaine concealed inside cosmetic hair removal wax.
First-of-its-Kind Drug Extraction Lab Dismantled
The City of London Police’s Serious Organised Crime Team smashed the operation in a Vauxhall flat after UK Border Force intelligence flagged suspicious activity. Hidden inside bars of wax destined for the UK market, officers found 3.51kg of pure cocaine worth over £211,000.
“This was an extremely dangerous and highly sophisticated criminal operation,” said Detective Constable Matt Cooper. “The hazardous chemicals posed a real threat to the public and could have had devastating consequences.”
Four Gangsters Sent Down
- Humberto Caicedo Ramirez, 53 – 13 years 6 months
- Carlos Barbosa Arias, 61 – 8 years (the gang’s chemist, brought in for his expertise)
- Sebastian Camacho Lopez, 31 – 6 years 7 months
- Jonny Delgado, 49 – 16 years (also ran a drug line supplying adulterated cocaine)
Specialist officers caught Ramirez and Arias red-handed processing drugs using petrol, chemicals, and mixing agents within their homemade lab. Lopez and Delgado were arrested soon after as part of the conspiracy to supply cocaine across London.
Previous Convictions for Linked Gangsters
- Arjan Metliaj, 38 – 4 years 8 months for possession and intent to supply Class A drugs plus 18 months for handling criminal property.
- Alina Telecan, 32 – 2 years 4 months for possession with intent to supply, plus 12 months for possession of a fake ID.
Detective Cooper added: “By busting this gang, we’ve stopped a dangerous Class A drug supply network and protected London communities from harm.”
