He was cutting keys – and cocaine

A locksmith was caught with £1.5million worth of cocaine stashed in a secret compartment behind key cutting equipment in his van, a court heard.

Alex Guest, 40, was stopped by officers from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command while driving his work van southbound on the M11 in Redbridge, east London last 20 April.

Officers searched discovered an elaborate hide with a hidden compartment concealed within a partition wall of the vehicle.

The compartment was operated by hydraulic arms and hidden behind locksmith cutting equipment to disguise its presence, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard.

Police retrieved a holdall inside the hide containing in excess of 15 kilos of cocaine, worth about £1.5m.

Several mobile phones were also found along with a set of electronic scales and a sophisticated encrypted communications device – known as EncroChat.

Detectives later searched Guest’s home address and recovered more than £129,000 in cash and two hydraulic press machines.

Detective Constable Russell McIntyre said: ‘Guest was part of an organised network importing large amounts of cocaine into the UK, almost routinely.

‘Using his legitimate locksmith business as cover, he thought he could conceal his involvement by using an elaborate hide – he failed.

‘This investigation is an example of great teamwork which led to us taking a huge quantity of harmful Class A drugs off the streets of London.’

Guest, of Boleyn Way, Ilford, admitted possession with intent to supply Class A drugs, namely cocaine, and possession of criminal property.

He was sentenced to 11 years and three months jail.