UPS supervisor Zak Archbold, known as 'King', was sentenced to 12 years in prison on Thursday for his role in a £10 million cocaine smuggling operation. The 30-year-old from Braintree, Essex, used his position at the UPS depot in Stanford-le-Hope to ensure drug shipments from the Netherlands went undetected and were directed to the correct truck for collection.
Southwark Crown Court heard that Archbold's actions facilitated the importation of 290 kilograms of cocaine over five weeks in April and May 2020. The drugs were valued at approximately £10 million, with the gang paying around £2,000 per kilogram shipped through the depot.
Co-defendant Sentenced
Co-defendant Steven Bullen, 51, was sentenced to 16 years and four months for his leading role in the conspiracy. Bullen directed operations from his villa in Marbella, Spain, and admitted to conspiracies involving 790 kilograms of cocaine, 242 kilograms of MDMA, and 114 kilograms of amphetamine. Judge Nathaniel Rudolf KC described Bullen as having a leading role in the hierarchy of the drugs gang, where drivers used aliases like 'B52 bomber' and secret compartments in cars to transport illicit parcels.
Inside Man's Downfall
Archbold, who was referred to as 'King' on the encrypted EncroChat messaging system, received £750 for every kilogram of cocaine successfully shipped. He directed drug packages to specific lorries using his senior role. The court heard that Archbold became involved due to debt but 'enthusiastically played your part,' according to Judge Rudolf. The judge added, 'Taking part in the way you both did in high-level criminality involving this amount of drugs is a pathway of risk and reward. You both chose to walk that pathway and must face the consequences.'
Archbold denied being 'King' at trial but was caught out by messages warning a driver that a sideline scheme stealing money from UPS customers threatened to expose the drug operation. After being sacked by UPS in 2020, Archbold worked as a scaffolder and for Amazon before his arrest in April 2025.
Investigation and International Cooperation
The operation was uncovered when law enforcement gained access to the EncroChat system in 2020, which was used by criminal gangs worldwide. The gang used aliases such as 'Veggie Kray', 'Ghost', and 'Cuddly Bandit'. Gemma Vincent from the Crown Prosecution Service stated, 'Zak Archbold abused his position while working for a reputable courier company and facilitated the importation of cocaine from Europe into the UK. Their convictions would not have been possible without the combined efforts of prosecutors in the UK, Spain and France, Spanish law enforcement teams, and the NCA.'
The court heard that three other men—Benjamin Thake, Craig Merrin, and Jurre Faber—are still at large. A serious crime prevention order was imposed on Bullen, and the CPS will seek to confiscate their illicit gains. Vincent added, 'Drugs have a devastating and costly impact on society, and we will continue to work across borders to prosecute those who seek to flood our streets for their own gain.'
