Five men have been sentenced after a dramatic National Crime Agency (NCA) bust exposed a £1.4 million ketamine smuggling operation. The drugs were smuggled in a fishing vessel from Amsterdam to Suffolk, cunningly disguised as a routine catch.
Caught in the Act at Suffolk Coast
On 16 February 2024, NCA officers spotted Sean Seymour, 60, from Saxmundham, scanning the coast for an incoming boat. The following early morning, the fishing vessel Girl Carole slipped into the River Deben. Seymour jumped in a car, picked up 21-year-old Domenic Labella from Ipswich, and headed to a secluded jetty in Ramsholt. At 4:18 am, both men boarded the boat, returning with large boxes loaded into a vehicle. They then made their way to a storage unit in Rendelsham, where officers later found 200 kilos of ketamine and 10 kilos of cannabis resin. By 5:04 am, Seymour and Labella were arrested for possession with intent to supply.
Boat Crew Arrested After Armed Maritime Raid
Just 20 minutes after the arrests, the Girl Carole was intercepted by the Counter Terrorism Specialist Firearms unit at sea. On board were Richard Saul, 43, from Woodbridge, Nathan Wellard, 55, from Thetford, and Alexander Sampson-Chambers, 36, from Welling. All three were held on suspicion of importing controlled drugs. NCA searches revealed a deactivated shotgun, silver bars, and a diary packed with boat equipment details, contact lists, sea coordinates, and notes on clandestine meetings. Surveillance had previously captured Saul discussing his drug operation plans and ambitions. He bragged about spending £80,000 to set up the runs and said, “If you can get that stock in Holland, I’ll run every f***ing week twice a week, and we’d f***ing nail it.” Saul called his criminal venture “a piece of p*ss” after already completing four runs the previous summer.
Criminal Confessions and Heavy Sentences
Phone taps captured Saul referring to his role as a “skipper for hire” for organised crime and negotiating a 10% cut of any haul. He even joked about stealing £3 million worth of cocaine from a Dutch warehouse, saying success would let him “have the f***ing rest of the year off.” The NCA believes the group worked closely with Dutch partners to track the boat’s journey to Britain. During questioning, Saul admitted knowing the cargo was ketamine but claimed involvement only in logistics, denying any role in drug sales. The others denied any drug knowledge. All five eventually pleaded guilty at Ipswich Crown Court. On 23 April 2024, sentences were handed down:
- Richard Saul – 8 years in prison
- Sean Seymour – 4 years 2 months in prison
- Domenic Labella – 2 years suspended for 18 months + 100 hours unpaid work
- Nathan Wellard – 2 years suspended for 18 months + 100 hours unpaid work
- Alexander Sampson-Chambers – 2 years suspended for 18 months + 150 hours unpaid work
The NCA’s swift action dismantled this major drug racket, sending a clear message to smugglers lurking off UK shores.
