In a significant crackdown on organised crime, seven individuals have been sentenced in the United Kingdom for their roles in smuggling an astonishing 1.3 tonnes of cocaine, valued at £140 million, into the country from Sierra Leone.
The operation, orchestrated by a Merseyside-based crime group, involved complex schemes to disguise the illicit drugs as legitimate goods, ultimately leading to their downfall. Darryn Schofield, 45, emerged as the ringleader of this organised crime group (OCG) and was sentenced to an extensive 20 years in prison.
He established a fake front company purportedly handling returned items for well-known retailers like Amazon and Argos. This façade was intended to facilitate the importation of Class A drugs without attracting suspicion. Schofield’s accomplices included Stephen Martland, 70, and Paul Mockett, 50, who played crucial roles in the operation.
Martland, a resident of Lakeland Gardens in Chorley, Lancashire, was responsible for renting an industrial unit at the Bradley Hall Trading Estate in Standish, Wigan. This location was chosen as the delivery point for the cocaine once it arrived in the UK. To maintain their cover, the OCG sent an email to the property management company, claiming that the unit would be used for storing house clearance items and pallets of returned goods from various retailers. However, the National Crime Agency (NCA) later revealed that the company was entirely fictitious and had no legitimate ties to any of the mentioned retailers.
Mockett, residing on Stump Lane in Chorley, registered a limited company named BH Supplies Limited. This company was utilised to purchase chemicals necessary for adulterating cocaine, further complicating the crime group’s operations. Their elaborate plans came to a halt in August 2022 when Border Force officials, working in collaboration with the NCA, intercepted a shipping container at the Port of Felixstowe in Suffolk. Inside, they discovered the cocaine concealed in 20kg sacks, cleverly masked under a layer of flour.
Following the seizure, the NCA initiated a thorough investigation aimed at identifying the members of the crime group. This meticulous effort culminated in the arrests of the individuals involved in November 2023. During the arrest of Schofield, authorities discovered another property he controlled on Melrose Road in Waterloo, Liverpool. This location was being used to adulterate and mix drugs, with officers seizing a wealth of equipment, including large cookers, moulds, stamps, a press, and various chemicals.
Schofield ultimately pleaded guilty to importing the 1.3 tonnes of cocaine and was sentenced on December 12, 2024, at Liverpool Crown Court. Mockett also admitted to the same charge and received a sentence of 13 years and six months. Martland, who was found guilty at trial of the same offence, received a lengthier sentence of 21 years.
The NCA’s branch commander, Jon Sayers, expressed gratitude for the collaborative efforts of law enforcement agencies in thwarting the drug smuggling operation. He emphasised the NCA’s commitment to protecting the public from the dangers posed by Class A drugs. Sayers stated, “Our partners in Border Force did a superb job to stop this huge haul of cocaine, which would have been sold around the northwest of England and further afield. Without a doubt, it would have led to more crimes being committed and more devastation in our communities.”
In addition to Schofield, Martland, and Mockett, other members of the crime group were also sentenced for their involvement in the operation. Neil Maguire, 45, of Georgia Close, Bootle, Liverpool, pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply cocaine for the OCG, although not specifically for the 1.3 tonnes. He was involved in the distribution of multi-kilo amounts of cocaine between 2020 and 2023, resulting in a sentence of 11 years and four months.
Paul O’Shea, 46, of Edge Lane, Crosby, Liverpool, also admitted to conspiring to supply cocaine and was involved in several handovers of the drug while providing storage for the group. He received a six-year prison sentence for his role in the operation. Darren Wetton, 54, of Ashby Street, Chorley, was convicted at trial for supplying cannabis between March and December 2022, receiving a 12-month suspended sentence for 18 months.
Lastly, David Jones, 56, of Eton Street, Walton, Liverpool, was directed by Schofield and was arrested with just under 1kg of tetramisole, an adulterant for cocaine. He admitted to being involved in the supply of drugs and was sentenced to three and a half years in prison. Neil Foley, 46, of Kingsway Avenue, Broughton, Preston, was acquitted of conspiring to supply cocaine and conspiracy related to the 1.3 tonnes.
Responding to the story, Yankuba Askia Bio, Director General of the Sierra Leone Ports and Harbours Authority (SLPHA stated, “I would like to clarify that Sierra Leone does not export flour. We are not involved in the ongoing investigations, and those found responsible for any wrongdoing will be held accountable for their actions, as that is what they have done now. At this moment, we will refrain from making any further comments”.
