A crafty gang from Peterborough hid shipments of cocaine inside wildlife and travel books bound for Australia. The ploy was uncovered by the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU), stopping over 12kg of Class A drugs from leaving the UK.
Drug Shipments Discovered in Book Parcels
Early in 2025, ERSOU caught wind of suspicious packages sent from Peterborough and Stamford. Working with Border Force, officers found four shipments containing cocaine hidden inside tampered covers of Lonely Planet travel books.
Further investigation revealed three more parcels had already made it to Australia, where customs seized additional drugs.
Arrests, Firearms, and More Cocaine Found
On March 20, 2025, Troy Batchelor, Luke Mills, and James Kulesza were arrested during coordinated raids. Police seized an extendable baton, a firearm, and multiple mobile phones.
Leads from the phones took officers to outbuildings and commercial units in Blackbush Drove, Whittlesey. There, they uncovered another 8.8kg of cocaine concealed in wildlife and travel books.
Three Jailed for Drug Smuggling Operation
- Troy Batchelor, 49, got six years for helping smuggle cocaine.
- Luke Mills, 46, received four years for his role.
- James Kulesza, 46, was handed two years and a month after pleading guilty to participating in organised crime.
All three admitted their crimes at Cambridge Crown Court, bringing down a major drug-running ring hidden beneath the covers of innocent-looking books.
