Police Uncover Vast Cocaine Smuggling Plot At Phony Return Center

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A Merseyside gang’s elaborate plan to smuggle £140 million worth of cocaine into the UK using a fake retail returns facility was dismantled by law enforcement.

At a Glance

Gang posed as a returns facility for major retailers to smuggle cocaine.
NCA and Border Force intercepted drugs from Africa.
Leaders Schofield, Martland, and Mockett jailed.
Operation highlights importance of international cooperation.

Unveiling the Smuggling Front

Members of a Merseyside gang masterminded a cocaine importing scheme by establishing a fictitious company purporting to handle returned goods for Amazon and Argos. Instead, this shell company became the cover for smuggling £140 million worth of the narcotic into the UK. The operation’s leader, Darryn Schofield, along with accomplices Stephen Martland and Paul Mockett, manipulated this guise to import drugs from Africa.

The three men rented a storage unit under the pretense of storing house clearance items. Schofield and Mockett admitted their involvement, while Martland was sentenced at trial. Arrests were made following an exhaustive investigation led by the National Crime Agency (NCA) in cooperation with Border Force officers.

Interception and Sentencing

In August 2022, Border Force officials intercepted the illegal drugs at a port in Suffolk. Schofield, admitting to the import of 1.3 tonnes of cocaine, was sentenced to 20 years at Liverpool Crown Court. Mockett received a sentence of 13 years and six months, and Martland was convicted of the offenses and jailed for 21 years.

“Schofield admitted importing the 1.3 tonnes and today, at Liverpool Crown Court, was sentenced,” according to a statement from the UK’s NCA, or National Crime Agency.

The operation exemplified the critical nature of surveillance and international collaboration to safeguard against organized criminals. The trio’s intricate deceit included setting up another fake company to buy chemicals for adulterating the cocaine, further demonstrating their calculated measures in smuggling operations.

The Role of Law Enforcement

The NCA’s efforts, underlined by partnerships with Border Force, showcased a steadfast commitment to thwart illegal drug supply. This collaborative operation proves essential in preempting the smuggling and distribution of illegal substances within borders. Jon Sayers, NCA branch commander, emphasized the threat posed by class A drugs and the necessity of inter-agency cooperation to protect the public from these dangers.

“The National Crime Agency works at home and abroad to protect the public from the threat of class A drugs,” said Jon Sayers, a branch commander with the NCA.

NCA branch commander Jon Sayers also noted the horrific consequences of illegal drug trade violence and its impact on society, stressing on continued efforts with various institutions to curb the supply chains of such contraband.

"Your business model might well have been taken from Amazon,” said the judge who locked up the gang https://t.co/8H6NxIZhHM

— Andrew Bardsley (@ABardsleyMEN) December 2, 2024