Albanians worked with Bulgarian to import one of biggest ever cocaine hauls to UK from South America

Albanian criminals worked with a Bulgarian business owner to import one of the biggest ever hauls of cocaine into the UK from South America.

The five members of the organised crime group that smuggled 2.7 tonnes of cocaine in a shipment of bananas from southhave been jailed.

Petko Zhutev, 39, (above) from Bulgaria, Gjergji Diko, 33, of Albanian heritage, from Italy, and Albanian nationals Bruno Kuci, 33, (above top) Olsi Ebeja, 40, (below) and Erik Muci, 45, (below bottom) were investigated by the Organised Crime Partnership (OCP) – a joint National Crime Agency and Metropolitan Police Service unit – who identified they were planning the importation.

They were arrested by OCP officers, supported by an armed MPS unit, at an industrial estate in Tottenham, north London, in February 2021, after receiving 41 pallets of bananas into which the cocaine had been loaded.

The drugs had different branded stamps on them, which corresponded to particular organised crime groups that were going to sell them on the streets of London and the wider UK.

Border Force officers at Portsmouth International Port found the cocaine on a cargo ship from Turbo, Colombia, concealed within a legitimate consignment of bananas.

OCP officers removed the cocaine and followed the consignment of bananas until it reached its final destination - Agro Food Ltd at the Crispin Industrial Estate.

The seizure is believed to be one of the largest ever of its type in the UK, and the drugs would have had an estimated street value of £210 million.

Investigators identified that Zhutev had taken over as the director of the food company in December 2020. Although it was previously a legitimate business, he had acquired it solely to use as a front for criminality.Muci was one of the principal organisers for the drugs importation. He was observed meeting with Zhutev, Kuci and Diko at Agro Foods and arranged the delivery and installation of equipment to support the pretence that it was a legitimate enterprise.Investigation into the mobile devices used by the crime group showed Muci controlled the importation and ongoing supply of significant quantities of cocaine across the UK.

After Zhutev, Kuci and Diko accepted the consignment, armed MPS officers used a circular saw to enter the locked premises during a raid that resulted in their arrest.Empty banana boxes had been strewn over the floor of the unit, a result of desperate attempts to find the drugs and move them from the site.The men had constructed dozens of cardboard boxes which they had intended to pack the drugs into.

Officers also found nine empty suitcases (above) which were to be used to fill with cash generated from drugs sales.A forward-venting blank firearm with five rounds of live ammunition was found hidden behind a ceiling beam, along with numerous mobile devices which had been concealed around the premises.

Ebeja was the intended lookout and driver for the drugs, and was arrested near Agro Foods as he waited inside a hire van. Ebeja was employed by Muci to act as a courier supplying drugs across the UK.

Following the arrests, OCP officers searched a flat associated to Diko, Ebeja and Muci, during which they found 37 kilos of cocaine and ammunition for the firearm.Officers arrested Ebeja at an address in Central London, in October 2023. Muci was arrested outside an address in Hornchurch, East London, the following month.

John Coles, Head of Specialist Operations at the NCA, said: "The sentences handed down to these men mark the culmination of a thorough investigation by NCA and Met Police officers.

"By intercepting this huge haul of cocaine, which was one of the largest ever of its kind in the UK, we stopped it from reaching UK communities and protected the public from the scourge of class A drugs and street violence associated with it.

"We continue to work with partners at home and abroad to target organised criminals at the pinnacle of the class A drugs supply chain and who pose the greatest risk to the UK."

Detective Superintendent Victoria Sullivan, from the Metropolitan Police, said: "This joint investigation between the Met, NCA and other partners sends a very clear message to criminals and gang members in the UK and abroad - we will come after you and we will bring you to justice.

"The supply of drugs has devastating consequences on communities. This is why we continue to crack down on drugs and the gangs that exploit vulnerable people, while working closely with partners to support drug users through addiction."

Diko and Kuci pleaded guilty to drugs, firearms and ammunition offences at the Old Bailey in October 2021 and April 2023 respectively. Both men admitted charges in relation to the weapon and ammunition found at the industrial unit and Diko to the ammunition found at the flat.

Zhutev, from West Beckton, London, was cleared of the firearms and ammunition offences at the same court in July last year, following a two-month trial.

The jury was unable to reach a verdict on drugs importation offences and he was re-tried for these. However, he changed his plea to guilty on Tuesday, 17 September - 58 days in to the re-trial.

Ebeja and Muci were convicted on 10 October, having faced trial alongside Zhutev for the first time. Ebeja and Muci were found guilty of conspiracy to import class A drugs. Muci was also found guilty of conspiracy to supply class A drugs (in relation to the cocaine found in the flat).

At the same court today (3 December), Muci was sentenced to 33 years, Zhutev to 27 years, Diko to 18 years, Kuci to 21 years and Ebeja to 17 years.

The Organised Crime Partnership (formerly the Middle Market Drugs Partnership) has been in operation for 20 years and is comprised of equal numbers of specialist NCA officers and Metropolitan Police detectives.

The team works to stop the flow of drugs to the criminal market in London, target upstreamcriminals that impact on London, as well as disrupting those overseas that make huge profits from this illegal activity.

CHARGES

Petko Zhutev (DoB 15/03/1985), of Otley Road, West Beckton; Gjergji Diko (06/09/1990), of no fixed UK abode; Bruno Kuci (06/09/1990), of no fixed UK abode, charged with:

Being concerned in the fraudulent evasion of a prohibition on the importation of a class a drug, contrary to section 170(2), (3) and (4) of and schedule 1 to the customs and excise management act 1979.

Possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life, contrary to section 16 of the firearms act 1968.

Possessing a prohibited firearm, contrary to section 5(1)(aba) of the firearms act 1968.

Possessing ammunition with intent to endanger life contrary to section 16 of the firearms act 1968.

Possessing ammunition without a firearm certificate, contrary to section 1(1)(b) of the firearms act 1968.

Olsi Ebeja, (29/03/1984), of Malta Street, Islington, and Erik Muci, (14/11/1979), of Haynes Road, Hornchurch, charged with:

Being concerned in the supply Class A Drugs. Sec 5 (3) Misuse Drugs Act.