£17 Million Cocaine Ring Busted in London
A massive drug trafficking gang importing nearly half a tonne of cocaine worth up to £17 million into London has been smashed by the Metropolitan Police.
Kingpin Crew Face Court
Bert De Jong (59), Hussain Sakhi (22), and Zaibaa Zahur (21) were found guilty of conspiracy to import and supply cocaine at 123 to the UK, using lorries to transport cocaine hidden behind black cladding. Handovers happened weekly outside London, with the haul then distributed across the capital’s streets.
The big break came on July 17, 2024, when Morris was spotted driving a van from a holiday let near Norwich to an industrial estate where De Jong handed over three boxes. Police intercepted and found 70kg of cocaine, with a street value estimated between £1.75 million and £2.45 million.
Later that day, Sakhi and Zahur were caught “viewing” the same holiday let, raising police suspicions. Officers detained them and found incriminating phone messages linking all four gang members to the drug network.
Drug Ledgers Reveal Massive Scale
Following the arrests, detectives uncovered detailed drug ledgers proving the gang trafficked almost 500kg of cocaine – a massive wholesale operation.
De Jong, the import mastermind, was arrested again on July 23, 2024 after returning to the UK. Despite denying involvement, forensic evidence showed he sent coded messages confirming cocaine deliveries.
Detectives Praise Team Effort
Detective Constable Leon Ure of the Met’s Specialist Crime South team said: “This has been a complex and lengthy investigation to dismantle a group supplying drugs across London. Drug dealing fuels crime and damages our communities. We will keep hunting down offenders and holding them to account.”
Sentencing Set for Friday
All four gang members are due to be sentenced at Kingston Crown Court on Friday, April 11.
This major bust is part of a wider crackdown on organised crime smashing drug rings that wreak havoc on London’s streets and communities.
