Drug Lords Busted: Trio Sentenced to 71 Years for £35 Million UK Cocaine Haul
Three men have been locked up for a combined 71 years after cops smashed a huge cocaine smuggling ring that was set to flood London and the UK with £35 million worth of Class A drugs.
Met Police Sting Stops Major Drug Import Operation
The men, part of an organised crime gang, were sentenced at Kingston Upon Thames Crown Court on September 19. They were found guilty of conspiracy to import Class A cocaine after a painstaking investigation by the Metropolitan Police.
The probe began in 2022 when detectives tracked the suspects using mobile phone data and other tech. They uncovered a plot to smuggle 350kg of cocaine hidden in suitcases and holdalls, shipped in by boat along the south coast.
High-Tech Surveillance Nails the Gang
Police used GPS tracking and CCTV to monitor the vessel’s route, following it until it docked at Sovereign Marina, eastbourne/" title="Eastbourne" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">Eastbourne. That’s where the trio were arrested.
- Stephen Lloyd Jones, 56, no fixed address – 24 years
- Tiamo Zanaj, 33, no fixed address – 22 years
- Kursat Kizilkaya, 33, Cornwall – 25 years
Cop in Charge Issues Stark Warning
“I want to commend the officers who worked tirelessly to bring this group of prolific drug dealers to justice,” said Detective Inspector Lydia Stephens. “Our top priority is to make our streets safer by dismantling the criminal market that fuels addiction, violence, and anti-social behaviour. This investigation sends a clear message to criminals involved in the illegal drug trade – we will find you, and you will face the consequences.”
