Three people have been sentenced to a combined total of more than 47 years in prison for attempting to smuggle cocaine worth over £80 million into the UK. The plot was uncovered after a lorry driver tipped off police following a tea break stop.
How the plot was foiled
On November 26, 2021, a group was seen breaking into an HGV after the driver stopped for a cup of tea at a burger van near Lilliput Road in Northampton. The group removed large, wrapped packages from the rear of the vehicle and placed them into a transit van, which they had used to block in the lorry.
At the time, the driver believed he was transporting 29 pallets of steel furniture parts that had arrived in a sealed package from Mexico. Officers from Northamptonshire Police were alerted to the robbery by the driver and found seven holdalls of cocaine left behind by the thieves.
Recovery and investigation
Within two hours, officers located the silver Transit van used for the heist, recovering a further 11 holdalls of drugs. Met Police officers then conducted an extensive operation to trace the thieves, even as they switched cars, changed number plates, and falsely reported the van as stolen.
The 18 holdalls of cocaine totalled 780kg and had a street value of more than £80 million. Financial records uncovered by the Met showed that the group had arrived in Ipswich on the same day the shipment arrived at Felixstowe port on November 12. They had booked rooms at a budget hotel, hired a van, and ordered takeaways to their room. They then waited for the lorry to leave the haulage yard, trailing it for 125 miles before carrying out the heist.
Sentences handed down
Craig Le-Mare, 36, of no fixed abode, was convicted of conspiracy to supply cocaine on Tuesday, 27 October 2026 at the Old Bailey. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Wednesday, 4 November.
Michael Weston, 57, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine on Friday, 15 March 2024 at Snaresbrook Crown Court. He was sentenced to 12 years and nine months in prison on Friday, 22 May 2026. Kelly Robertson, 46, of Peregrine Close, Watford, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine on Tuesday, 12 March 2024 at Snaresbrook Crown Court. She was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Friday, 22 November 2024.
Detective Inspector Dean Grafton, who led the Met investigation, said: “This investigation exposed an intricately planned operation, where the defendants hoped to make millions by selling cocaine across the UK. Officers worked for two years as they meticulously unraveled their operation, conclusively proving their role in the attempted heist. Drugs fuel criminality and rip families and communities apart. These sentences prove our relentless determination to pursue organised crime groups and put dangerous criminals in prison.”
Assistant Chief Constable Emma James of Northamptonshire Police said: “The discovery of this substantial quantity of cocaine in Northamptonshire led to a significant investigation which ultimately prevented dangerous drugs from reaching communities across the UK. While the Metropolitan Police led the subsequent investigation, the swift response by Northamptonshire Police officers at the outset helped secure crucial evidence and disrupt the criminal group's plans. This investigation highlights the value of effective collaboration between policing partners. Working alongside colleagues from the Metropolitan Police Service, we helped ensure those responsible were identified, brought before the courts and held accountable for their actions. The harm caused by cocaine extends far beyond those directly involved in its supply and use, fuelling exploitation, violence and wider criminality. We remain committed to working with our partners to tackle serious organised crime and protect our communities.”
