Richard Jory KC and Warwick Tatford prosecuted a number of defendants in an international investigation into the operation of a UK based organised crime group. The group used contacts abroad, in particular Colombia and Spain, to arrange for the movement and onward supply of cocaine to the UK. UK authorities cooperated with Spanish law enforcement and coordinated arrests resulted in the seizure of 175kg of cocaine in Madrid in 2019. Encrypted phone material generated by Operation Venetic was used to complement the investigation. Following their guilty pleas at Guildford Crown Court for conspiracy to supply cocaine the leading conspirators received lengthy custodial sentences: Alan Harris was sentenced to 19 years and 10 months imprisonment, and Mark Plume and Mark Lockyer each to 18 years and 4 months. Further proceedings against other defendants will be conducted in April 2023.

Richard and Warwick are instructed by Natalie Smith of the CPS South East Complex Casework Unit on behalf of the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit.

https://serocu.police.uk/man-convicted-of-multi-million-pound-cocaine-conspiracy/