A drugs trafficker has been jailed for 12 years after being extradited from Spain, where he directed a courier moving large quantities of cocaine between Merseyside and the north east.
Christopher Hobaiter, 43, of Linden Avenue in Stockton, was a leading figure in a conspiracy involving cocaine with a purity of 92%. He employed Ben Cousans, 46, as a courier to collect large packages and drive them back over the Pennines.
Courier stopped on sixth run
Cousans, a Jaguar driver, picked up the cocaine between September 2023 and May 2024 under orders from Hobaiter, who was based in Spain and directed his courier on both "clean and dirty phones". Cousans was stopped by officers from the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit (NEROCU) and Durham Constabulary on May 22, 2024, on his sixth and final drugs run.
While Cousans was in custody awaiting questioning, Hobaiter repeatedly tried to get in touch with him. Police found a huge package of cocaine in the footwell of Cousans' vehicle, estimated to be worth £100,000 when sold on the street.
Commercial scale operation
The drugs were bought and sold "on a commercial scale and many tens of thousands of pounds" were transferred to Hobaiter's bank accounts. Hobaiter, who was based in Alicante, was "at large" for some time before being arrested and held for nearly a month in a Spanish prison. He was later extradited and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs.
Hobaiter's barrister, Robert Mochrie, told Teesside Crown Court that his client was not "at the top of the organisation - he is adamant that he was under the control of others." Describing Hobaiter's role as akin to a "manager" in the drugs chain, Mr Mochrie said Hobaiter "must now face the consequences for his decisions and he knows he will be serving a lengthy sentence".
Sentences handed down
For Cousans, Stephen Constantine said his client's business had fallen into £60,000 worth of debt during covid. References submitted to the court described Cousans, who is a dad, as "reliable, professional, hard working and community-minded."
TeessideLive reported that Judge Paul Reid jailed Hobaiter for 12 years. Cousans, of Cradoc Grove in Ingleby Barwick, was handed a four-year sentence. Hobaiter had previous convictions including a 30-month sentence after being caught with cocaine and a suspended sentence for renting out a house that had dangerous levels of carbon monoxide.
NEROCU Detective Inspector Simon Drenon said: "This has been an excellent display of the specialist operations we're carrying out on a regular basis to pursue offenders like Cousans and Hobaiter and bring them before a court.
"It has demonstrated the united stance we have in the north east, alongside our partners, to protect communities and tackle illegal drug operations – no matter their scale or where they try to hide.
"Having class A drugs imported to the north east is incredibly damaging to our communities. It can create harm and violence and profits from these sales fund wider organised crimes like child sexual abuse and modern slavery.
"Under the banner of Operation Sentinel, our united regional approach to tackling serious and organised crime in all forms, we'll continue to work with partners to pursue suspects and protect the public."
