A group of drug dealers involved in the supply of nearly half a ton of cocaine worth up to £17 million have been convicted following a detailed investigation by specialist detectives.
The four, who brought in cocaine from the Netherlands to distribute throughout London, were caught in the act by officers who had launched a proactive operation.
Bert De Jong, 59, of the Netherlands, Hussain Sakhi, 22, of Laughton Road, Northolt and Zaibaa Zahur, 21, of Harlington Road, Uxbridge were convicted on Monday, 7 April of conspiracy to evade the prohibition on the importation of cocaine and conspiracy to supply cocaine, following a four-week trial at Kingston Crown Court.
Sakhi and Zahur were also found guilty of conspiracy to supply cocaine.
A fourth drug dealer, Justyn Morris, 23, of Upper Lees Road, Slough, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, 11 March to conspiracy to evade the prohibition on the importation of cocaine and conspiracy to supply cocaine.
The court heard that millions of pounds of cocaine were distributed by lorries across London.
Lorries would stop outside the capital, and the drugs would be collected and then be sent to ‘retail suppliers’ on a weekly basis.
On Tuesday, 16 July 2024, a holiday let was booked in Marsham, near Norwich. The following day, a van was seen outside the address.
The van, driven by Morris, then drove to an industrial estate in Norwich, where he met De Jong in a lorry. De Jong gave Morris three cardboard boxes, and Morris then drove back to the holiday let.
Morris was then intercepted by officers who had seen a suspected handover.
Met officers then searched the van and the three boxes were found hidden behind black cladding.
A total of 70kg worth of cocaine was found – worth between £1.75 million and £2.45 million.
Sakhi and Zahur went to the holiday let later that day to ‘view’ it. Raising suspicion, officers arrived and searched the pair.
A phone showed messages between Sakhi and an unidentified contact, with whom Morris had also been in contact.
All three were arrested by the Met that day.
They were charged on Thursday, 18 July 2024.
What followed was an extensive investigation, which proved the defendants had all been involved in the supply of millions of pounds worth of cocaine.
Drug ledgers they kept as a record of the movement and distribution of the cocaine were examined during the trial and established the group had moved nearly 500kg.
De Jong would bring the drugs into the country from the Netherlands, and Morris would pick them up and pass them to Sakhi and Zahur, who would then distribute them.
On Wednesday, 23 July 2024, De Jong was arrested when entering the country again. He claimed he did not know what he was bringing into the country, but evidence suggested on his phone that he would send ‘tokens’ to his counterparts, implying the drugs had been delivered.
He was charged on the same day. They are due to be sentenced on Friday, 11 April, at Kingston Crown Court.
