A 63-YEAR-OLD drug smuggler who hid 100kg of ketamine in his motorhome has been jailed.
The smuggler was planning to sneak £2 million of the party drug, stored in bin bags on a ferry and prepared for transportation to Hull.
Russel King loaded up a motorhome with £2 million worth of ketamine[/caption]
The 63-year-old smuggler had previously transported 632kg of the drug to the UK[/caption]
He was planning on transporting the drug to Hull[/caption]
Russel King loaded up his motorhome and planned to transport it across the North Sea by ferry from Rotterdam.
King was also found to have been involved in importing 70kg of cannabis to the UK just a month earlier.
Authorities launched a huge investigation into King’s operation and discovered that the 63-year-old transported a staggering 632kg of ketamine to the UK in July 2023.
Appearing in front of Lewes Crown Court, the smuggler was found guilty of importing 70 kilograms of cocaine, as well as the ketamine and cannabis offences.
He was handed a huge 22 year sentence, with his £2 million ketamine scheme earning him 6 years behind bars – a sentence which will run concurrently with his 22-year stint in jail.
Detective Superintendent Al Burns, Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit, said: “This operation dismantled a significant supply chain into the UK from Europe, and I’m proud of the tireless work our officers put in to protect the public.
“I would like to thank them as well as partner agencies, including Sussex Police and those overseas for their work to ensure justice was done.
Detective Superintendent Burns added that the use of ketamine has grown over recent years.
He also said that the drug is becoming increasingly viewed as “low-risk” when it is actually very dangerous.
He said: “This arrest demonstrates that no one is beyond the reach of UK law enforcement and that working together we will relentlessly pursue those that seek to benefit from international criminality.
“Putting King behind bars has not only disrupted an international trafficking route into the UK, but it’s also a stark reminder of the harm these substances cause in our communities.
“The growing use of ketamine as a recreational drug has been well-documented recently, but so have the serious dangers it poses to the health of individuals who take it.
“It’s wrongly perceived as a low-risk drug and has a significant impact on users.
“We remain committed to tackling the organised crime groups fuelling this trade and causing misery in our communities.”
Police have warned that the use of ketamine is increasing[/caption]
