Blocks of cocaine were found in holdalls in the boot of a taxi
Four men have been jailed after cocaine with a street value of about £50m was found in a taxi in Essex.
About (440lb) 200kg of "high-purity" cocaine was found in holdalls in the vehicle in Tilbury last July.
Greg Spiers, Tony Rees, Danny O'Sullivan and Danny Hannaway were jailed at Woolwich Crown Court.
They will each serve between 11 and 19 years for conspiracy to supply controlled drugs and conspiracy to import controlled drugs.
(left to right) Danny Hannaway, Greg Spiers, Tony Rees and Danny O'Sullivan "blighted communities"
The sentences were as follows:
Greg Spiers, 48, of London Road, Billericay, received a 19-year sentence
Tony Rees, 31, of Cecil Avenue, Chafford Hundred, was given a 15-year sentence
Danny O'Sullivan, 32, of Oxwich Close, Corringham, was jailed for 12 years and six months
Danny Hannaway, 25, of Lea Road, Grays, received an 11-year sentence
Det Insp Andy Whitewood, who works with the Metropolitan Police's Organised Crime Command, said the "vast majority" of the drugs were destined for London "where drug sales line the pockets of criminals and blight the communities in which they are sold".
"Drug supply on our streets brings fear to our communities and the Met is determined to prevent it at every possible opportunity," he added.
- Published22 July 2015
