40 Tonne drug trafficking network jailed for more than 250 years
27 October 2011
Twenty-four members of an organised crime network which “lived and breathed drug trafficking” have been handed jail terms totalling more than 250 years for their roles in plots to smuggle up to 40 tonnes of drugs into the UK.
The network, which was dismantled following a three-year investigation led by the Serious Organised Crime Agency, consisted of organised criminals from London and Liverpool working with overseas traffickers to import cocaine from South and Central America, along with heroin, cannabis and amphetamine from Europe.
Sentencing concluded on Thursday morning at Liverpool Crown Court when Judge David Aubrey QC jailed the final few members of the network. All 24 were prosecuted for either drugs, money laundering, forgery or identity theft offences. Only three pleaded not guilty and were convicted after a trial which lasted eight weeks.
London-based Mehmet Baybasin, who was found guilty, and his counterpart in Liverpool Paul Taylor, who pleaded guilty, were dealt with last week. They received 30 years and 22 years respectively for conspiracy to import up to three tonnes of cocaine.
SOCA officers planted listening devices to monitor conversations between members of the network, carried out surveillance throughout the UK, and analysed masses of phone data.
Baybasin planned to use his established contacts in the global drugs trade to supply the cocaine to Taylor and his associates. If the three tonne test shipment was a success, Taylor said there was a stockpile of 40 tonnes ready to smuggle inside shipments of tinned fish or wood pellets.
During sentencing, Judge Aubrey said: “The quantities or potential quantities of drugs that were to come into this country and subsequently flood our street, pubs, homes and clubs and the potential profit that you were seeking or did make is staggering.
“I am satisfied they were not pie in the sky amounts that were spoken of. There was talk of bringing two to three tonnes of cocaine from a stockpile of 40 and consideration was given to bringing that in piecemeal. I am told, and I accept, that the wholesale value of 500 kilos alone is £17.5 million and the retail value would be that much greater.”
Steve Baldwin, Head of Investigations in the North West for SOCA, said: "This was a highly sophisticated network with a very clear focus. Baybasin, Taylor and their cronies lived and breathed drug trafficking. It's all they ever talked about, and while they talked, SOCA listened and watched.
"Bringing down the entire network was only possible because of a tremendous international partnership. Merseyside Police, the PSNI, partners in South and Central America, and the Crown Prosecution Service all played a crucial part in achieving this excellent result.”
SOCA and its partners also derailed the network’s attempts to import heroin from the Netherlands. During the investigation officers seized 10 kilos of heroin, 50 kilos of cannabis resin, 3 kilos of cocaine, 200 kilos of amphetamine and over £420,000 in cash.
Baybasin and Taylor’s associates received sentences ranging from one to 23 years.
A financial investigation into the network is still ongoing and there will be a confiscation hearing at a later date.
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