Six semi-professional footballers who sold cocaine with an estimated street value of up to £260m have been jailed for a total of more than 103 years.
Police have said the “highly organised” gang, who sold the Class A drug on an “industrial scale”, was brought down like a “house of cards” following the arrest of one its members.
Luke Skeete had been pulled over by police while driving a white panel van in October 2022 – and a search of the vehicle uncovered 8kg of cocaine in the back.
The 36-year-old was arrested and a further 123kg of cocaine and 224kg of ketamine was recovered from storage units in west London that he had control of.
Skeete’s phone was also seized and sent for specialist interrogation – with officers discovering a secure messaging platform that was used by others.
The Metropolitan Police said the group chats “demonstrated and evidenced a sophisticated, professional business model” that the group had to supply cocaine throughout the UK.
The force added that each associate had used a different label on the messaging platform to conceal their identity and evade detectives.
More from UK
“Painstaking work” meant the gang members were eventually identified by officers.
The other five members were:
Advertisement
• Former Enfield Town defender Adam Pepara, 35 • Former Chesham United forward Shaquille Hippolyte-Patrick, 29 • Former Harrow Borough FC player Andrew Harewood, 34 • Former Margate FC striker Melchi Emanuel-Williamson, 29 • Former FK Senica player Jamarl Joseph, 28
Detectives examined CCTV footage that showed the gang members coming and going from one of the west London storage units with drugs concealed in holdalls and boxes.
Meanwhile, a video recovered from a car involved in a deal showed Skeete parking up in his white van and passing over a holdall of drugs.
Officers found the six men had conspired to supply in excess of 2.7 tonnes of “high-grade cocaine” with an estimated street value of between £208m and £260m between April and October 2022.
Specialist crime officers carried out arrest warrants at addresses linked to the group in London and Birmingham on 29 September 2023.
All of the men were arrested, charged and remanded in custody.
The group were sentenced to a total of 103 years and five months in prison at Isleworth Crown Court on Friday 17 May.
They had all earlier pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply controlled Class A drugs (cocaine) and conspiracy to supply controlled Class B drugs (ketamine).
Skeete had been jailed for 15 years at the same court in July 2023 after pleading guilty to two counts of possession with intent to supply class A drugs (cocaine), possession with intent to supply class B drugs (ketamine), supplying cocaine, and driving while disqualified.
PC Perry, from the Met Police’s Specialist Crime North, said: “The operation we’ve dismantled here is not some minor undertaking, involving a group of chancers – this is a highly-organised criminal group who were supplying drugs on an industrial scale throughout the UK.”
Detective Constable Janes, from Specialist Crime North, said: “With Skeete’s arrest we brought this house of cards down.
“After he was detained we secured valuable evidence on his mobile phone, helping us launch another investigation that led to us identifying his conspirators.”
A woman has suffered life-changing injuries after being stabbed by a member of the public at the accident and emergency department where she was working.
The victim – believed to be a nurse in her 50s – was attacked at Royal Oldham Hospital in Greater Manchester, where she is now being treated.
It is understood she was injured with a bladed article or a sharp instrument – and not by a knife.
Officers were called at 11.30pm on Saturday.
A 37-year-old man is in custody after being “swiftly arrested at the scene” on suspicion of attempted murder, Greater Manchester Police said.
Detectives are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident and say there is no threat to the wider public.
Jim McMahon, the Labour MP for the area, described it as a “senseless attack”.
He posted on Facebook: “We are all shocked at the senseless attack on a nurse in the A&E department of the Royal Oldham Hospital.
“Our thoughts are with the nurse, family and friends as we wish a full recovery.”
Detective Sergeant Craig Roters said it was a “serious incident which has left a woman in a critical condition”.
The victim’s family and colleagues will be supported, he added.
The local community can expect to see an “increase in police presence” while enquiries are carried out, Mr Roters said.
“We know that news of this nature will come as a shock, and if you have any concerns or anything you would like to share, please speak to [officers].”
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir Starmer to sack Treasury minister Tulip Siddiq over allegations she lived in properties linked to allies of her aunt, Sheikh Hasina, the deposed prime minister of Bangladesh.
It comes after the current Bangladeshi leader, Muhammad Yunus, said London properties used by Ms Siddiq should be investigated.
He told the Sunday Timesthe properties should be handed back to his government if they were acquired through “plain robbery”.
Tory leader Ms Badenoch said: “It’s time for Keir Starmer to sack Tulip Siddiq.
“He appointed his personal friend as anti-corruption minister and she is accused herself of corruption.
“Now the government of Bangladesh is raising serious concerns about her links to the regime of Sheikh Hasina.”
Ms Siddiq insists she has “done nothing wrong”.
Her aunt was ousted from office in August following an uprising against her 20-year leadership and fled to India.
On the same day, the prime minister said: “Tulip Siddiq has acted entirely properly by referring herself to the independent adviser, as she’s now done, and that’s why we brought into being the new code.
“It’s to allow ministers to ask the adviser to establish the facts, and yes, I’ve got confidence in her, and that’s the process that will now be happening.”
Police in Aberdeen have widened the search area for two sisters who disappeared four days ago in the city.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti, both 32, were last seen on CCTV on Market Street after leaving their home on Tuesday at around 2.12am.
The sisters – who are part of a set of triplets and originally from Hungary – crossed the Victoria Bridge to the Torry area and turned right on to a footpath next to the River Dee.
They headed in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club but officers said there is no evidence to suggest the missing women left the immediate area.
Specialist search teams, police dogs and a marine unit have been trying to trace the pair.
Further searches are being carried out towards the Port of Aberdeen’s South Harbour and Duthie Park.
Police Scotland said it is liaising with authorities in Hungary to support the relatives of the two sisters.
Chief Inspector Darren Bruce said: “Eliza and Henrietta’s family are understandably extremely worried about them and we are working tirelessly to find them.
“We are seriously concerned about them and have significant resources dedicated to the inquiry.”
The sisters, from Aberdeen city centre, are described as slim with long brown hair.
Officers have requested businesses in and around the South Esplanade and Menzies Road area to review their CCTV footage for the early morning of Tuesday 7 January.
Police added they are keen to hear from anyone with dashcam footage from that time.