Gang jailed for over 70 years for cocaine smuggling plot

Four members of a criminal gang have been sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court for their roles in a conspiracy to import Class A drugs. The group had planned to bring approximately 600 kilograms of cocaine into the United Kingdom, hidden within frozen fish shipments. The Metropolitan Police stated the operation was referred to as the “Fish Conspiracy” and was uncovered via the EncroChat platform.

The 'Fish Conspiracy' details

The defendants intended to import the cocaine from South America. One of the gang’s legitimate businesses, located at Billingsgate Market, was designated to receive the substantial shipment. The Metropolitan Police confirmed that the importation never took place, but recovered encrypted messages revealed discussions about payments, shipping logistics, and contacts in Ecuador responsible for sourcing the cocaine. The investigation also indicated separate conspiracies involving industrial quantities of ketamine.

Sentences handed down

Sentences for the four men ranged from 13 years to 22 years. Samuel Tokeley, aged 57, and Nicholas Shilling, aged 63, each received 22-year prison sentences. Scott Richards, 51, was sentenced to 14-and-a-half years, and Scott Unwin, 52, was jailed for 13 years. Tokeley pleaded guilty on 23 March, while Richards, Unwin, and Shilling were convicted by a jury following a trial that concluded in May.

Detective Chief Inspector Dean Grafton, from the Metropolitan Police's specialist crime unit, described the defendants as operating on an “industrial scale”. He stated, “The defendants believed that encrypted communication platforms would protect them as they discussed vast quantities of drugs, laundering criminal profits and exploiting legitimate businesses to facilitate their offending.” The Metropolitan Police collaborated with the National Crime Agency and international law enforcement agencies on this investigation.