A squad of six semi-professional footballers behind an “industrial” £260 million drug empire were jailed for a total of 104 years.
- Chesham United FC’s Shaquille Hippolyte-Patrick, 29, of North Kensington, was jailed for 26 years and six months, reduced to 18 years and nine months.
- FK Senica’s Jamarl Joseph, 28, of Wembley, North West London, was jailed for 26 years and six months, reduced to 17 years and six months
- Enfield Town FC’s Adam Pepara, 35, of Solihull, West Midlands, jailed for 29 years reduced to 24 years
- Harrow Borough FC’s Andrew Harewood, 34, of North Acton, West London; jailed for 24 years and six months, reduced to 16 years and one month, and
- Margate FC’s Melchi Emanuel-Williamson, 29, also of North Acton, was jailed for 21 years and six months, reduced to 14 years
Luke Skeete, 26, from West Drayton was also jailed at Isleworth Crown Court for 13 years and one month, having previously been jailed for 15 years at the same court last year.
The network operation across Britain however collapsed after police stopped Skeete, 26, whilst he was driving a small panel van which had 8 kg of Class A drugs packed into the back.
Detective Constable Janes, of the Metropolitan Police’s Specialist Crime North team, said: “With Skeete’s arrest we brought this house of cards down.”
“After he was detained we secured valuable evidence on his mobile phone, helping us launch another investigation that led to us identifying his conspirators.”
“Forensic examination of that device and invaluable CCTV evidence helped us compile a case so compelling that none of them had any choice but to plead guilty.”
Officers went on to further confiscate 123 kg of cocaine and 224 kg of ketamine that was stored in units across West London.
Police eventually determined that the gang had been conspiring between April and October 2022 to supply more than 2.7 tonnes of high grade cocaine.
On May 17, the group were sentenced to more than a century behind bars at Isleworth Crown Court having all pleading guilty.
Police Constable Perry, from the Metropolitan Police’s Specialist Crime North team, said: “The operation we’ve dismantled here is not some minor undertaking, involving a group of chancers – this is a highly organised criminal group who were supplying drugs on an industrial scale throughout the UK.”
“The sentences received reflect the gravity of what they had been doing. This is a criminal group who had otherwise promising careers – semi-pro footballers with other jobs and courses they were undertaking – but they were motivated by making money from drugs that fuel misery and violence on our streets.”
“Anyone else wondering if they can make cash from this type of activity should take a look at these sentences and think again, because it’s only a matter of time before you are caught.”
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