Kent Crime Trio Nabbed Over £4.3M Meth Haul Bound for Australia
Three Kent-based drug traffickers have been locked up after a massive 24kg crystal meth shipment, worth £4.3 million, was busted en route to Australia. The haul, traced back to the UK, was foiled by Australian border forces working with UK police.
Who’s Behind the Operation?
- Kevin Filkins from Sevenoaks
- Robert Hamilton from Orpington
- Yvonne Stewart, 55, from Croydon
All three were handed hefty jail terms after being found guilty of running a high-stakes drug export racket. Stewart, employed in cargo security, was caught on CCTV overseeing the shipment from Croydon on June 25, 2021.
The Investigation That Cracked the Case
The Organised Crime Partnership (OCP), a joint effort by the National Crime Agency and Metropolitan Police, launched the probe in January 2022. They uncovered a sophisticated smuggling network.
Phone records revealed constant chatter between Stewart, Hamilton, and Filkins coordinating the drug export. Filkins even labelled packages as innocuous “two glass Buddhas” to sneak crystal meth into New South Wales, Australia.
Justice Served: Long Jail Terms for the Traffickers
At Croydon Crown Court on May 31, 2024, the criminals were sentenced:
- Kevin Filkins – 12 years in prison
- Yvonne Stewart – 12 years in prison
- Robert Hamilton – 13½ years in prison
Detective Superintendent Callum Hughes, Australian Federal Police: “These convictions send a clear message—drug trafficking carries a huge risk and long jail time.”
Richard Smith of the OCP echoed the sentiment, highlighting cross-border teamwork to crush organised crime and shield communities from the illegal drug trade.
