A member of a gang in Manchester has been sentenced to jail for his involvement in smuggling cocaine from Central America into the UK inside boxes of bananas. Christopher Sharrock, along with other gang members, imported and distributed over 1.4 tonnes of cocaine between March and December 2021. The gang used encrypted messaging apps and aliases like Tunes, Bigwheeler, and Rocket to coordinate the transportation of drugs in quantities ranging from 30 to 100 kilos at a time.
Kent Police’s Economic Crime Unit initiated an investigation after gaining access to the encrypted messaging service EncoChat. The gang often utilized hire vans to collect and transport the drugs across the UK. Analysis of phone data revealed that they sometimes used shipping containers to conceal drugs within banana shipments entering Kent from Costa Rica. An instance was recorded where over a tonne of cocaine was found concealed in a container of bananas that arrived at the Port of Sheerness from Costa Rica. The gang retrieved the drugs the following night and transferred them to a yard in Longfield for further distribution.
Local officers intercepted a vehicle leaving the Longfield yard and discovered banana labels in the glove box, which were later linked to the same shipping container used for smuggling drugs. The gang members filled the empty spaces in the containers with bananas purchased from supermarkets after distributing the drugs among couriers. Arrests were made in various areas, including Teesside, Northumbria, Kent, London, Cambridgeshire, Staffordshire, and Manchester, resulting in eight individuals being charged for their involvement in the criminal group.
At a hearing in Maidstone Crown Court, seven individuals were sentenced for their roles in the drug smuggling operation. Christopher Sharrock received an 18-year jail term for importing class A drugs, while Nikki Fewsdale was sentenced to 14 years for the same offense. Christian Lee received a 19-year jail term for conspiracy to supply and import class A drugs, among other charges. Addison Curtis was sentenced to two years, suspended for two years, for money laundering. A 34-year-old man from Manchester who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply and import class A drugs will be sentenced later.
Detective Sergeant Dean Sycamore emphasized the significance of the investigation, stating that the seized drugs would have had a major impact on drug supply networks in Kent. He highlighted the successful efforts to apprehend drug dealers and dismantle drug supply operations, sending a clear message that such criminal activities will not be tolerated. The authorities are committed to seizing assets gained through illegal activities and ensuring that drugs are removed from the streets.
