£10 Million Cocaine Bust: Ten Charged in Massive Kent and Essex Crackdown
£10 Million Worth of Assets Frozen in Major Cocaine Bust
Ten suspects have been charged and a staggering £10 million in assets have been frozen after Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate launched a dawn raid on Wednesday, 23 March 2022. Officers executed 28 search warrants targeting an organised crime group involved in complex fraud and large-scale cocaine supply.
Dawn Raids Snare 17 Suspects Linked to Drug Ring
The coordinated strikes were aimed at 17 suspects, all of whom were arrested during the morning operation. The raids involved close cooperation with Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) investigators, who supported the crackdown by working alongside serious crime detectives as enquiries continue.
Financial Clampdown Hits Bank Accounts, Cars, and Homes
Kent Police financial investigators swiftly moved to restrain criminal assets exceeding £10 million. This clampdown includes freezing bank accounts and preventing the sale of properties such as homes and vehicles linked to the suspects.
Names of the Charged: Conspiring to Supply Cocaine & Other Crimes
Following consultations with the Crown Prosecution Service, these individuals face conspiracy to supply cocaine charges:
- Lewis Cosgrove, 38, Butlers Park Way, Rochester
- Patrick Hallahan, 35, The Drive, Hove
- Kevin Ratcliffe, 40, Longhill Road, Brighton
- Damion Freeman, 44, Lenham Avenue, Brighton
- Richard Shelton, 40, Green Lane, Eltham
- Michael Blewett, 42, Mulberry Close, Brighton
- Jessie Cockle, 28, Kimberley Road, Lowestoft
- James Savva, 50, Reservoir Road, New Barnet
Additional charges authorised include:
- Carl Crabtree, 40, Colsterdale, Lowestoft – concealing criminal property
- Daniel Newton, 35, Whitefriars Wharf, Tonbridge – fraud by false representation
Next Steps: Court Appearances and Ongoing Investigations
All ten charged suspects have been remanded in custody and are due to appear at Medway Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 25 March. Meanwhile, seven more individuals linked to the investigation were released on bail pending further enquiries, with bail set until Wednesday, 20 April.
