HUNTERS who smuggled illegal drugs worth up to £7 billion from the continent over two years have been sentenced to prison.
It is believed to be the biggest drug operation ever uncovered in the UK.
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Paul Green ringleader arrested by police Credit: NCA/UNPIXS
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Ringleader Paul Green, 59, known as The Big Fella, was the gang’s point of contact Credit: PA
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Some of the drugs the group smuggled into the UK from Europe using multiple companies Credit: NCA
Ringleader Paul Green, 59, known as The Big Fella, was the point of contact for gangs who paid a fee to ship heroin, cocaine, amphetamines and cannabis.
He and his co-conspirators set up shell companies in northern England and the Netherlands using fake and stolen identities.
The drugs were hidden in shipments of onions, garlic and ginger.
Green, from Widnes, Cheshire, was caught after officers cracked his encrypted phone.
At Manchester Crown Court he was convicted of conspiracy to import drugs and received 32 years.
His “right-hand man” Steven Martin (53) from Bolton got 28 years, and Muhammad Ovais (46) from Burnage got 27 years.
Richard Harrison, the NCA’s regional head of investigations, said: “This was an extremely damaging OCG who used every possible tactic to avoid detection and cheat justice.
“The perpetrators smuggled huge quantities of drugs into the UK.
“They had absolutely no ethics.
“They stooped incredibly low and left a trail of destruction for completely innocent people by cloning businesses and identity theft.
“NCA officers and Dutch partners have been persistent and have left no stone unturned in this investigation.”
Prosecutor Andrew Thomas KC told jurors: “As soon as one company was exposed they would switch to another.”
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Green and his co-conspirators set up shell companies in northern England and the Netherlands using fake and stolen identities. Credit: NCA/UNPIXS
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They hid the drugs in consignments of onions, garlic and ginger sent to the UKCredit: NCA/UNPIXS ‘It seemed really legitimate’, says Briton caught with £15m of cocaine after accepting free Cancun holiday from strangers
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