‘Distribute-a-drug’ coke bosses get a bowlful

Three drug barons who used hidden compartments in vans to distribute £11 million worth of cocaine have been jailed for a total of more than 32 years.

David Green, 30, Darrell Logan, 26, and Barry Wilkinson, 51, moved 200kg of cocaine with an estimated purity up to 95 per cent in October last year.

The operation ran from 1 March and 29 October last year and was busted as part of Operation Venetic, a UK-wide investigation of criminal activity on the encrypted messaging service Encrochat.

The dealers moved bricks of the drug in Slazenger holdalls, which were hidden under the floor of a specially modified silver Volkswagen Caddy.

They altered a number of vehicles to move vast amounts of cocaine across the country, Southwark Crown Court heard.

They were caught on 29 October after police arrested Green, Wilkinson, and the drug courier Logan with 104kg of cocaine worth more than £6m.

A notepad used by Logan was found in a chest of drawers next to bricks of cocaine, and showed the gang had dealt another 100kg since March.

Green was the gang boss, communicating to couriers like Logan through his deputy and book-keeper Wilkinson, the court heard.

An unidentified drug baron who used the Encrochat username “QPR” gave Green his orders.

The trio also sold modified smuggling vehicles and cocaine presses to their customers.

Three members of the gang have already been convicted and sentenced for their part in the conspiracy.

Prosecutor Laura Kenyon said: ‘Mr Logan’s address was being used to store the cocaine, and he also did some degree of book-keeping.

‘They acted as couriers, using a silver Volkswagen van. There was a secret compartment under the floor of the vehicle to conceal cocaine and evade the police.

‘Through his contacts, Mr Green directed couriers’ activities, giving them locations and passwords.

‘103.25kg are covered by communication between Mr Green and a courier.

‘Couriers went to various location as the conspiracy developed, including Solihull and Shrewsbury.

‘On 29 October last year officers arrested Wilkinson, Logan, and Green.

‘Earlier Mr Logan had driven holdalls containing over 100kg of cocaine from Hayes to Uxbridge.

‘Another member of the conspiracy had been arrested at a earlier date with their stash vehicle which had been seized.

‘Mr Wilkinson had taken on the role of courier, essentially because they had no choice.

‘90kg were in the holdalls, 14 blocks were also in the flat. They had a 92-95 per cent purity.

‘In a chest of drawers was a notebook containing notes, which suggested from 3 September to 20 October 100kg had passed through the flat.

‘Mr Logan’s fingerprints were found on the pages.

‘Mr Logan had a lesser role in the conspiracy, but he also did some book-keeping.’

‘Mr Green had a leading role, but not the leading role in the conspiracy.

‘Unlike Mr Wilkinson, Mr Green had very little face-to-face contact with the couriers.’

Passing sentence Judge Martin Griffith said: ‘104kg of cocaine were found at Mr Logan’s arrest, information from prior records indicated that more than 100kg of cocaine had been dealt through your operation.

‘Analysis of Encrochat phones may reveal that an even larger amount of cocaine had been dealt by you, but we have enough information for my purposes today.

‘David Green, of the three in the dock, you are the top, considering your role.

‘You were paid £200,000, which is a large amount of money. You were organising the buying and selling of Class A drugs.

‘I consider that the Crown is right that you had a leading role. You attempted to conceal your offending through Encrochat and the alteration of otherwise innocent vehicles.’

Turning to Wilkinson, Judge Griffith said: ‘You had a substantial role, you were manufacturing large amounts of drugs.

‘You show remorse, before you ended up in the dock you had a good character in life.’

Turning to Logan, the judge said: ‘Mr Logan, bottom of the three, you were looking after 100kg of class ‘A’ drugs when you were arrested.

‘There were parts of your history which you to be a lesser in the conspiracy.’

Green was sentenced to 13 years and 6 months imprisonment.

Wilkinson was sentenced to 10 years and 4 months imprisonment.

Logan was sentenced to 9 years imprisonment.

The trio waited to admit their part in the conspiracy until they appeared at Southwark Crown Court in November, after the High Court decided Encrochat evidence was admissible in court.

Green had 15 previous convictions for 33 offences, including dwelling burglaries, robbery, public order offences, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm, the court heard.

Wilkinson, of North Street, Egham, Logan, of Sentinel Close, Northolt and Green, of Hilton Close, Uxbridge, admitted and were sentenced for engaging in a conspiracy to supply cocaine.

Commander Richard Smith, said: ‘This was a successful and intricate investigation and in total, these six defendants were responsible for transporting millions of pounds worth of drugs into and out of London.

‘The drugs seized on the day of arrest were valued at between £4.1m and £4.9m wholesale, and at least £10.9m street value.

‘There is an inextricable link between drugs and serious violence, and the Met continues to bear down on those intent on causing harm to our communities through crime. The team should be commended for their diligence in removing these individuals from the streets.’

Three other men involved in the conspiracy Carl Thompson, 32 of Chadwick Gardens, Uxbridge; Stephen Glynn, 31 of Tilehouse Way, Denham, Uxbridge; and Scott Bradley, 40 of Churchfield Road, Chalfont St. Peter were also involved in the conspiracy.

They were jailed for five-and-a-half years, four years and ten months, and four years and two months respectively.

ends