David Bentley Leading James Walker Secures Unanimous Acquittal in 450kg Cocaine Importation Trial

David Bentley & James Walker represented one of the lead defendants in a conspiracy to import four shipments of cocaine into the UK over a 6 month period.

The total imported weight was said to be 450kg. The Prosecution’s case was that highly sophisticated techniques were utilised by the organised crime gang to secrete the cocaine by welding it inside metal moulding machinery with lead lining fitted to block X-ray scanning during Custom and Border Force checks.

The cargo was then shipped from Columbia through UK ports. One shipment was seized requiring the local fire service to utilise the jaws of life equipment (usually reserved for car accidents) in order to prise open the welded machinery containing the cocaine. The defendant was said to be the business development manager for a fraudulent “front” business involved in metal trading.

The evidence also pointed to HMRC carousel fraud running parallel with the cocaine importation, although no charges had been brought on this aspect. Highly experienced cryptocurrency and drug experts were called to give evidence over many days. The trial ran for 10 weeks resulting in the unanimous acquittal of the defendant.

David and James were instructed by Fida Hussain of Jon Mail Solicitors, Altrincham, Cheshire