Drug Lord Lee Silvester Busted in Major Crackdown
Lee Silvester, 41, from Bromley, has been slammed with a hefty jail term at Kingston Crown Court. On Wednesday, 10 April, he was found guilty of four counts of conspiracy to supply and four counts of possession with intent to supply class A and B drugs.
International Drug Ring Targeted
Detective Constable Brendan Kennedy revealed the investigation has been underway for several years. He said, “Silvester’s sentence concludes a matter targeting organised criminality in the drug trade.”
The drugs were imported into the UK via criminals overseas, with international law enforcement partners helping to disrupt the operation. Kennedy added, “Our efforts have caused significant logistical and financial disruption to these networks.”
£600K Stoke Uncovered in West London Sting
The crackdown intensified in April 2022 when cops spotted a man unloading class A drugs at a west London storage unit. They swooped, arresting the man with drugs valued at a staggering £600,000.
The man was later jailed for over five years for possession with intent to supply.
Silvester’s Role Unmasked Through Phone Evidence
Police then seized the arrested man’s phone and linked Silvester as the mastermind controlling the operation. Caught red-handed in September 2022, Lee was stopped with over £50,000 worth of class A drugs in his car.
A search of Silvester’s property revealed more drugs, packaging gear, heat sealing machines, and a burner phone showing regular contact with the arrested dealer. Silvester was also tied to the same storage unit.
Fast Justice: Guilty Verdict in Under Three Hours
Silvester went on trial at Kingston Crown Court and was unanimously found guilty by the jury after less than three hours of deliberation. He now faces a long stretch behind bars as police send a clear message to London’s drug trade.
Detective Kennedy concluded, “We want to make London hostile to anyone dabbling in this kind of crime — spending years in prison is the best deterrent.”
