Got their just deserts! Trio who smuggled millions of pounds of cocaine into the UK inside a raspberry sorbet lorry are jailed for a total of 54 years
- The huge drug bust was the biggest ever seizure by Nottinghamshire Police
Published: 16:47, 11 December 2023 | Updated: 16:47, 11 December 2023
Two men and the director of a company have been jailed after smuggling millions of pounds worth of cocaine and heroin inside a lorry full of raspberry sorbet.
The huge haul of Class A drugs was imported into Britain from Belgium before being discovered by cops at a frozen food warehouse unit in Bilsthorpe, Nottinghamshire.
The consignment is one of the biggest drugs seizures ever made by Nottinghamshire Police and was found stowed in 26 pallets of frozen yoghurt ice cream on a lorry trailer.
Police found 39kg of cocaine and 18kg of heroin inside a concealed compartment.
Investigators found John Brown, 54, (pictured) had collected a lorry from Ashbourne, Derbys, on August 8, 2017, and set off on a journey to Europe
When police searched the unloaded consignment four days later, they found a huge haul of drugs among raspberry sorbet
The drugs had been collected from a factory in Wellens, Belgium, then driven to Hook of Holland, in the Netherlands[2], and shipped to the UK on August 10, 2017.
The lorry was followed to Bilsthorpe by Border Force officers after it left the Port of Immingham, on the east coast of England in Lincolnshire, the following day.
When police searched the unloaded consignment four days later, they found a huge haul of drugs.
Several suspects were arrested, interviewed and eventually charged in connection with the mammoth drugs smuggling operation.
Investigators found John Brown, 54, had collected a lorry from Ashbourne, Derbys, on August 8, 2017, and set off on a journey to Europe.
The vehicle booking for Brown to travel from Holland was made by William Morritt, 69, (pictured)
John Madden, 51, (pictured) was also identified as being involved in the operation
Two days later he arrived at a factory in Wellens, Belgium, where pallets of frozen ice cream were collected for their return journey to the UK.
The vehicle booking for Brown to travel from Holland was made by William Morritt, 69, the director of a company which specialises in temperature-controlled transport.
John Madden, 51, was also identified as being involved in the operation.
Analysis of phone records showed contact between the group members.
The three men have now been sentenced to a combined total of 54 years in prison.
Brown, of Doncaster, South Yorkshire, pleaded guilty to conspiring to fraudulently evade a prohibition on the importation of a Class A drug and conspiring to conceal criminal property and was jailed for 15 years.
Morritt, of Ashbourne, Derbyshire, was found guilty following a jury trial of conspiring to fraudulently evade a prohibition on the importation of a Class A drug.
He was sentenced to 18 years behind bars.
John Madden, of Kirkby, Knowsley, Merseyside, pleaded guilty to conspiring to fraudulently evade a prohibition on the importation of a Class A drug and was caged for 21 years.
His parents, Bernard Madden, 72, and Marian Madden, 70, also of Kirkby, pleaded guilty to money laundering for their son.
The pensioners were not involved in the importation and they were handed a two-year prison sentence, suspended for two years.
Detective Inspector Mark Adas, of the East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU), said: ‘This complex investigation has resulted in the seizure of a very substantial haul of Class A drugs before they had the chance to reaching the streets and cause significant harm.
‘Drugs fuel violent crime and other exploitative criminal activities and we will continue to work with our partners to protect our communities, combat such criminality and target those involved.’
References
- ^ Matt Drake (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Netherlands (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ The Netherlands (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ The Hook (www.dailymail.co.uk)