Lorry Drivers Jailed for Smuggling £2.4m Worth of Cocaine into UK
Two Hungarian lorry drivers have been locked up for 20 years after being caught smuggling 30 kilos of cocaine into the UK. The Class A drugs had a street value of £2.4 million.
Hungarian Drivers Caught at Dover Docks
Imre Szatmari, 47, and Joszef Papp, 40, pleaded guilty at Canterbury Crown Court and were sentenced on Friday, May 17. Szatmari received 11 years and three months, while Papp got nine years behind bars.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) launched an investigation after Border Force officers stopped the lorry at Dover Docks in February. Officers grew suspicious when the freight lorry appeared to evade border controls by refusing to stop at the exit.
Hidden Cocaine Found in Fridge and Holdalls
A thorough search of the HGV uncovered 30 packages of cocaine—ten hidden in a fridge inside the cab and twenty stuffed in holdalls. Szatmari confessed he picked up the drugs from a man near Dunkirk, France, who was waiting at a motorway exit. The shipment was destined for an address in Hertfordshire.
NCA and Border Force Crack Down on Drug Smugglers
“Cocaine fuels gang crime, exploitation and violence on UK streets,” said NCA branch commander Matt Rivers. “Organised crime groups depend on smugglers like Szatmari and Papp to do their dirty work. By stopping them, we’re not only keeping class A drugs off UK streets but also cracking those criminal networks.”
Dave Hutchinson, Deputy Director of Border Force South East and Europe, added: “Our officers work round the clock to keep the borders secure and stop illegal substances. This seizure prevents a huge amount of cocaine reaching communities where it would cause real damage. We’ll continue partnering with the NCA to bring criminals like these to justice.”
