LEWES, UK – A convicted people smuggler orchestrated one of the UK’s most significant drug trafficking operations — all from inside his prison cell at HMP Highpoint in Suffolk.
Arturas Jusas, 38, was already serving time for trafficking 69 illegal immigrants by boat when he directed the smuggling of nearly a tonne of cocaine and ketamine into the UK, with an estimated street value of £24.5 million.
Using contraband mobile phones, Jusas communicated with members of a sophisticated organised crime group (OCG) who provided a transportation service for other OCGs across Europe.
The operation was dismantled after a multi-agency investigation by Sussex Police’s Serious Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit, and the National Crime Agency.
🚚 The Bust: July 26, 2023
Police intercepted two vans near Maresfield on the A26, seizing 70kg of cocaine and 632kg of ketamine hidden in 30 cardboard boxes. The drugs had been smuggled into Newhaven Port by lorry driver Pavel Budzko, transferred to vans driven by Charlotte Moore and Abdul Soohraby, with Stephen Norris as a passenger.
📱 The Digital Trail
Recovered messages from a WhatsApp group called “Unload 1” and another chat titled “Loading” linked several individuals to the July operation and others before it. Jusas, though silent in chats, was identified as the boss coordinating operations from prison.
Evidence included:
WhatsApp messages about smuggling logistics
A phone seized from gang member Andrew Gudz, linked to £20,000 in cash
Phone downloads showing communication between Jusas and Russell King regarding drug shipments
👥 Who Was Sentenced?
(Sentences from Lewes Crown Court, July 8, 2025)
Name Charges Sentence
Andrew Gudz, 39 Conspiracy to import Class A & B drugs 18 years
Ihor Korobets, 42 Conspiracy to import Class A & B drugs 16 years
Russell King, 63 Conspiracy to import Class A drugs 22 years
Stephen Norris, 36 Importation and supply of cocaine & ketamine 10 years
Charlotte Moore, 32 Importation and supply of cocaine & ketamine 13 years
Pavel Budzko, 50 Importation of cocaine & ketamine 9 years
Kiryl Laptseu, 42 Previous importation of 107kg cocaine 9 years
Jusas pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.
🔍 Investigators Speak Out
Det. Constable Laura Pettitt said:
“Jusas masterminded the largest drug seizure in Sussex from within his prison cell. These criminals lived lavishly at the expense of vulnerable people.”
Det. Supt. Tim Shaw added:
“This operation dismantled a national OCG. The convictions will make our communities safer.”
⚖️ Conclusion:
This case underscores how organised crime syndicates exploit digital tools—even from behind bars—to flood UK streets with deadly drugs. Law enforcement’s coordination across borders and agencies proved critical in stopping nearly a tonne of Class A and B substances from hitting the streets.
