R -v- M, Ipswich Crown Court, 2024
About
The Defendant was a lorry driver who regularly traveled between France/Belgium and the UK, delivering goods.
In March 2023 the Defendant travelled to a food distribution depot in Suffolk in order to unload 26 pallets of yoghurt which he had collected from a factory in France. Whilst unloading the goods, staff at the depot discovered a hide in the rear of the lorry. This hide was found to contain a total of 80 kg blocks of cocaine with an estimated street value of £8 million.
The Defendant maintained from the beginning that he was not aware of the hide and that someone had deposited the drugs into his lorry without his knowledge.
The case involved forensic issues, including phone downloads, tachograph data and other issues pertinent to the haulage industry. Some of the evidence was interjurisdictional and we liaised with witnesses abroad in preparation for the trial.
Result
We are pleased to report that after a 6-day trial the Defendant was acquitted by jury.
R -v- G - Harrow Crown Court, 2023
About
ENCROCHAT
The Defendant was charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine by virtue of being linked to an encrochat case which dated back to 2020. The encrochat which initiated this investigation was linked to at least 46 kilos of cocaine, part of an Albanian organised crime network that was infiltrated by way of Operation Venetic. Intelligence led the National crime agency to a location in north London where a further 11 kilos was found.
Result
The Defendant was found not guilty after a 5-day trial.
R -v- N, Harrow Crown Court, 2023
About
The Defendant was charged with being concerned in the supply of cannabis and importation of substantial shipments of cocaine. He was said to be "leading role" by virtue of arranging large shipments of cocaine from South America to Spain and into England. Shipments were between 50 and 100 kg at a time, and were said to have been planned including the use of a helicopter in order to arrange the safe transportation from Europe to the UK. It was a high profile and significant investigation into an alleged organized Albanian crime network across Europe and South America.
Result
We submitted legal arguments that were successfully argued in front of a judge which led to the dismissal of all charges.
R -v- K, Basildon Crown Court, 2023
About
The Defendant was charged with conspiracy to supply class A drugs. It was alleged that he was overseeing the operation of a major drug line in the Thurrock area. This involved numerous drug runners, managers and line holders in a sophisticated operation. Multiple kilos of class A drugs had been seized. This was an extensive operation where the Prosecution sought to rely on thousands of pages of phone evidence to try and associate the Defendant with others in the conspiracy and the drug line. We were able to instruct our own cell site expert and cast doubt on much of the evidence.
Result
After a 5-day trial the Defendant was acquitted.
R -v- S, Croydon Crown Court, 2023
About
The Defendant was charged with being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs. The Defendant was driving a vehicle that had picked up 8 kg of cocaine. They were under surveillance as part of an investigation by the NCA into an organized crime network of Albanian drug dealers. We were able to adduce evidence from phone material that the prosecution did not serve as evidence to show that there were innocent conversations between the Defendant and the person responsible for picking up the drugs prior to the event. We were able to show other evidence, including cell site analysis, that corroborated the Defendant's version of events.
Result
Unanimous acquittal after a 6-day trial.
R -v- R, Luton Crown Court / Court of Appeal, 2023
About
ENCROCHAT
We represented the Defendant at Luton Crown Court for conspiracy to supply multi kilos of Class A drugs and money laundering. It was a sophisticated operation to supply of Class A drugs on a national scale whereby in excess of 40 kg of cocaine was supplied. The case rested on telephone data and telephone attribution. Large amounts of cocaine and hundreds of thousands of pounds were delivered on numerus occasions to various addresses. Despite the fact that the Defendant was initially convicted, we successfully appealed one of the convictions in the Court of Appeal.
Result
We managed to successfully appeal one of the convictions in the Court of Appeal.
R -v- A, Chelmsford Crown Court, 2022
About
Possession with intent to supply Class A & B drugs: this case involved the seizure of 100 kg of drugs, cannabis and cocaine, at a house in Essex. The case rested on phone evidence and forensics linking the Defendant to the drugs. This was an international investigation said to be linked to organized crime groups in Morocco and Holland. The Defendant was extradited from Europe to face trial. The Defence successfully challenged the forensic evidence (which relied mainly on fingerprints on the packaging) by instructing their own fingerprint expert.
Result
The case was subsequently discontinued on the day of trial.
R -v- W, St Albans Crown Court, 2021
About
The defendant was part of an international network and charged with conspiracy to supply and importation of Class A drugs. This matter received significant media attention and was prosecuted by East Region Special Operations Unit, Border Agency and NCA with assistance of the police in the Netherlands. This was the biggest drug operation in East Anglia which comprised of a total of 39 separate deliveries from the Netherlands to a farm in Hertfordshire. A total of approximately 350 kilos of cocaine and 1485 kilos of heroin was imported, the wholesale value was in the region of £55million. This also appeared on a Channel 4 documentary where our representative appeared on television.
Our defendant disputed the role attributed to him, it was argued that he was a lesser role by the defence and should be treated significantly more leniently than the co-defendants.
Result
After submissions, it was agreed that our defendant was in fact lower role and he was sentenced to 6 and a half years, whilst the co-defendants were given double figure sentences.
R -v- G, Wood Green Crown Court, 2021
About
The defendant was accused of supplying Class A drugs in a multi-handed conspiracy. 30 kilos of heroin were seized and the case rested on an extensive investigation which relied heavily on phone evidence to link our client to the drugs. A defence telephone expert was instructed to cast doubt on the reliability of the phone evidence asserted by the prosecution.
Result
The defendant was subsequently acquitted and one of the only defendants found not guilty in this multi-handed conspiracy.
R -v- X, Harrow Crown Court, 2020
About
Conspiracy to supply Class A drugs: this case involved an extensive police operation into an organized Albanian crime group regarding multiple kilos of cocaine. The case rested on surveillance footage and phone evidence placing the defendants at the premises used for storage of the drugs and cash. The Defendant was initially charged with supplying 15 kg of cocaine. Packaging relating to 12 kg was found at the address of the Defendant. The Defence instructed a cell site expert to show that the Defendant was only at the premises for a number of days and could not be responsible for the packaging of the 12 remaining kilos. This was subsequently withdrawn after we provided our cell site report and made representations.
Result
The charge was withdrawn and effectively took our client out of the top category for the Sentencing Guidelines.
