Cocaine Smuggling Operation Using Vintage Cadillac Uncovered in Essex

A 1953 Cadillac was used to smuggle cocaine into the UK, resulting in seven men being sentenced to nearly 100 years. The vehicle, disguised as a collector’s item, carried 64 kg of cocaine worth £1.92 million from Peru. Police discovered the plot after stopping a related vehicle, leading to extensive arrests and charges against the suspects.

A vintage 1953 Cadillac sedan was utilized to smuggle cocaine valued at £1.92 million into the United Kingdom from Peru. Seven men received near total sentences of nearly 100 years for their involvement in the importation and dismantling of the vehicle at a workshop in South Essex, where 64 kilograms of the Class A drug were concealed inside.

After departing from Peru on a ship, the Cadillac reached the UK on January 25 of the previous year, seemingly as a collector’s item. However, authorities were unaware that it was packed with cocaine worth £1.92 million at wholesale prices, a fact only uncovered when police confiscated the vehicle following an unrelated traffic stop of a grey Mercedes on the M1 in February 2024.

During the stop, officers discovered three men in the Mercedes: Paulino Soares, Juan Valle Tellez, and Raul Ruiz Jurado. Soares, who had past convictions for cocaine distribution, was driving. Law enforcement found a purple suitcase in the trunk, containing 21 blocks of compressed powder totaling 18 kilograms of cocaine, which had a street value of £1.48 million. Tellez and Jurado were identified as the individuals responsible for importing the cocaine.

Further evidence collected included mobile phones, cash, foreign currency, identification cards, and a baseball bat found in the vehicle. It was determined that Tellez and Ruiz traveled to the UK from Mexico and Peru, respectively. Following the arrest of the three men, police searched Soares’ residence, where they confiscated £13,000 cash and additional mobile devices.

Subsequent investigations led to the arrest of Mohammed Ilyas and Naheem Rafiq from Bradford, and Omer Cohen and Shimon Shriki from London, all implicated in cocaine transactions from the Cadillac. Cohen and Shriki also faced charges related to possession and distribution of illegal substances.

A Luton court later imposed sentences ranging from 9.5 to 16.5 years on the aforementioned individuals for conspiracy and supply of cocaine, with some charges including possession of criminal property. Detective Chief Inspector Darren Brown indicated that this case highlighted the operations of a sophisticated organized crime group at both national and international levels which employed various methods to evade law enforcement efforts.

In conclusion, a significant drug smuggling operation was unveiled involving a vintage Cadillac used to transport £1.92 million worth of cocaine from Peru to the UK. Seven men received prison sentences totalling nearly 100 years for their roles in the conspiracy. The operation revealed the complex tactics employed by organized crime groups, underscoring ongoing challenges for law enforcement in combating drug trafficking.

Original Source: www.echo-news.co.uk