A drug dealer who was arrested while collecting £3.6 million worth of Class A drugs has been sentenced to nearly nine years in prison.
Ahmed Omar, 29, from Leytonstone, East London, was involved in a major drug smuggling operation that spanned multiple countries. In November 2023, Omar met with Rudi Claes, a 62-year-old lorry driver, at Toddington Services on the M1 motorway in Bedfordshire.
Claes loaded two boxes of drugs from his lorry into Omar’s car. Police from the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU) intercepted the exchange and discovered 36kg of cocaine hidden inside the boxes. The total haul, consisting of both drugs in the car and lorry, amounted to 156kg, with a street value estimated at £19.2 million.
The drugs, concealed inside pharmaceutical insulation boxes, had been smuggled into the UK from Steenokkerzeel, Belgium. Claes was sentenced to 20 years in prison in June for his role in the operation.
Omar, who had been involved in drug dealing since 2021, was charged as part of an international trafficking network. His involvement in the operation led to his conviction at Luton Crown Court, where he received a sentence of eight years and nine months.
Detective Inspector Dean Trollope from ERSOU’s Regional Organised Crime Unit emphasized the significant harm caused by the drug trade, saying, “Omar was part of an organised criminal group and played a crucial role in bringing large quantities of drugs into our communities, causing misery and harm.”
Thanks to the dedicated efforts of law enforcement, both Omar and Claes have been removed from the streets and will face lengthy prison sentences for their involvement in this high-level drug operation.
