In 2005 the Metropolitan Police Service, (MPS) began an investigation into the activities of a number of career criminals who were engaged in the importation and distribution of Cocaine. The general profile of the Senior members indicated many had previous convictions for armed robbery, but had now diversified into the lucrative Cocaine market. Many had strong geographical links to a specific part of South East London.

Common links were identified between Spain, Holland and the UK, where members of these OCN’s had strong criminal associations. These were principally with other London based criminals, but also with locally based, and international Cocaine Importers.

As a result of a number of Operations good intelligence sharing protocols were established with Dutch and Spanish law enforcement. In September 2007 Police officers from the Dutch National Crime Squad, (DNCS) were investigating the activities of two male UK nationals resident in Holland whom they suspected were involved in the unlawful supply of cocaine, heroin and amphetamines. Telephone conversations made by these subjects to further their criminal enterprises were recorded by the DNCS.

MPS officers identified one of the males as Richard WRIGHT (aka George WRIGHT), a South London career criminal, with previous convictions for drugs, firearms and robbery. WRIGHT was also wanted by officers from UK Customs for his involvement in the importation of 29kgs into the UK in 2004. The second male remained unidentified and was an older male who also used the name of ‘George’.

On the 18th September 2007 the DNCS investigation culminated in the when intelligence received by the DNCS led to the arrest of several other males connected to Wright and ‘George’ and the seizure of 37 kilos of high grade cocaine destined for the UK. (Street value £3.7 million).

Within days of their arrest the older male ‘George’ was identified as Alan Leo BYRNE. He was wanted by UK Police having escaped from custody in 1995 and assisted in his escape by a group of armed men. At the time of his escape BYRNE was serving a term of life imprisonment for armed robbery and murder, having shot dead a custodian during the course of a robbery.

During their investigation the DNCS established that a man known only as ‘Jeff’ was in constant phone contact with WRIGHT and the recorded content of their conversations was purely criminal. Consignments of amphetamines (believed to be 200kgs), bolstered by the addition of cocaine and heroin, were discussed and arranged on a regular basis by the two men. ‘Jeff’ organised the movement of monies by couriers from the UK to the Netherlands as payment for these drugs. ‘Jeff’ also indicated the involvement of others in these in these enterprises in particular his son ‘Joe’.

In October 2007 ‘Jeff’ was identified by MPS officers as being Jeffrey CHAPPELL. Covert surveillance identified other associates, one of whom, SAMUEL, was arrested in possession of 41Kg of Cocaine in November 2007.

Further covert surveillance continued, and it was identified CHAPPELL used several public phone boxes.

Covert cameras were placed on these to obtain evidence to identify the caller, and corroborate calls made from that call box, to Holland which were monitored and contained evidence of drug trafficking.

The CHAPPELL’s were subsequently arrested and released on police bail pending further enquiries. These included liaison with the DNCS, and the release of the intercept material, lawfully obtained in Holland. As a result of this material, supported by other circumstantial material they were subsequently charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine.