Three Men Busted for Using Removal Firm as Front for £4.5M Drug Haul
Three blokes who tried to disguise a massive drug smuggling racket as a removal business have been nailed by the National Crime Agency (NCA). Mark Youell, 64, from Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, teamed up with Alfred Rumbold, 65, from Orpington, Kent, and removal driver Brian Wright, 73, from Folkestone, Kent, to sneak in around 55 kilos of Class A drugs during spring and summer 2020.
Undercover Operation Sniffs Out the Dirty Deal
What the trio didn’t know was that NCA officers had them under the microscope, tracking their every move and recording secret chats. They were caught meeting with a Merseyside gang wanting to import the drugs using Wright’s fancy Rolls Royce and legit removals firm as cover.
During a stakeout at a Kent café in July 2020, Youell bragged, “We’re gonna hit the jackpot” and vowed to make “f***ing mega dough”.
The day before, Wright had done a ‘dummy run’ to the Netherlands, jotting down notes about border checks and security on his phone. The following week, he went live, loading the drugs — cleverly stashed inside fish tanks.
Big Drug Bust in Utrecht Stops Massive Haul
But the well-planned smuggle hit a major roadblock. Dutch police, working alongside the NCA, swooped on the truck just outside Utrecht. Wright was caught sleeping in the cab, and the stash was seized:
- 20.5 kilos of heroin
- 32 kilos of cocaine
- 3 kilos of MDMA
The haul’s street value? A whopping £4.5 million.
Meanwhile, Youell and Rumbold were arrested at home. Officers also seized encrypted phones linked to drug deals across Europe. Despite their denials—claiming they were smuggling just booze, cigarettes, and cannabis—all three men were found guilty of conspiring to import Class A drugs after a 7-week trial at Isleworth Crown Court. Sentencing is due on 26 November.
NCA Hails International Crackdown Success
“This conspiracy involved a significant amount of drugs destined for UK streets, fueling violent gangs and exploitation,” said Peter Stevens, NCA Regional Head of Investigations. “Our covert operation exposed their greed, and this case highlights how vital international teamwork is in stopping drug supplies. Thanks to our Dutch partners for helping secure these convictions.”
