UK Drugs Gang Exposed After 24kg Haul Found in Australia
A crook trio from Croydon, Sevenoaks, and Orpington got caught after a massive 24-kilogram Class A drug shipment was nabbed Down Under. The Organised Crime Partnership (OCP), teaming up the National Crime Agency and Metropolitan Police, cracked the case wide open.
Shipping Secrets: Croydon Cargo Crew Caught Red-Handed
The drugs were shipped from Croydon on June 25, 2021, but thanks to CCTV, Yvonne Stewart, 51, was spotted working the cargo sector when the shipment left the UK. Kevin Filkins, 52, was caught delivering a suspicious package labelled “two glass Buddhas” to New South Wales, Australia.
Stewart was responsible for security checks on the cargo. But when Australian authorities opened the shipment, the drugs were in plain sight—clearly not hidden, proving a sloppy or complicit inspection.
Phone Trails and Stolen Passports: How the Ring Operated
Phone records revealed Stewart was in contact with Robert Hamilton, 51, who also liaised with Filkins. Filkins’ movements on the day matched the cargo centre visit, strongly linking him to the delivery.
The criminals sent two other shipments earlier in June, all paid for with stolen passports and debit cards linked back to Filkins. Police found these items during a raid on Filkins’ home.
Guilty Verdicts and Upcoming Sentencing
The trio were arrested in April 2022 and found guilty at Croydon Crown Court on January 13. Hamilton also faces charges for possession and production of Class B drugs, with cannabis plants found at his home.
Sentencing will take place on March 2.
“This group used Stewart’s inside knowledge of the cargo industry to smuggle illegal shipments to Australia,” said Richard Smith of the Organised Crime Partnership. “They thought a security check meant the drugs would go undetected. But our work with the Australian Federal Police has dismantled their supply chain. We’ll keep targeting class A drug suppliers who fuel violence and exploitation.”
Detective Sergeant Kristie Cressy from the AFP in London added: “Our international network worked alongside the National Crime Agency to identify these criminals and halt their global drug trafficking. Intelligence from Operation Ironside in Australia was key to breaking this syndicate.”
