Paul Green, aged 59, has been sentenced to 32 years for orchestrating the United Kingdom’s largest-ever drug smuggling operation, following the conviction of 18 individuals involved in one of the most significant criminal conspiracies in the nation’s history. The gang, led by Green, smuggled billions of pounds worth of heroin, cocaine, and cannabis into the UK between 2015 and 2018, with the National Crime Agency (NCA) spearheading the investigation.
The smuggling operation, which spanned across southeastern England to Scotland, involved more than 50 tonnes of drugs—equivalent to the weight of approximately 30 family-sized cars. The operation was meticulously planned, with the criminal group importing drugs disguised as everyday goods such as onions, garlic, and ginger to evade detection. They even bought up to 50 tonnes of onions weekly, often returning them to Europe as cover loads to maintain their façade.
Two lengthy criminal trials were required to convict the members of this international organized crime group (OCG). The first trial lasted an unprecedented 23 months, marking the longest running criminal trial in England and Wales. The second trial ran for 9 months. The case highlighted the OCG’s sophisticated methods for avoiding detection, including the use of encrypted communications, fake documents, and even a network of front companies to hide their activities.
The OCG’s operations were carefully planned, and they used established businesses and suppliers to create a legitimate paper trail for their illicit activities. Despite the group’s best efforts to confuse authorities, the NCA uncovered at least 240 separate importations of illegal drugs into the UK. Authorities were able to seize six shipments of drugs, valued at £40 million.
In his judgment, trial judge Paul Lawton described the scale of the smuggling operation as “industrial and unprecedented,” estimating the total worth of the drugs involved in the conspiracy could reach £3 billion if only half of the imports were similar to the six seizures made.
In addition to his leadership role, Green personally facilitated smuggling routes for other UK-based crime groups, further broadening the scope of his criminal network. One of the smuggling operations involved a fake trail to import £1.1 million worth of amphetamine base oil concealed in bottles of cream from Belgium. The operation was foiled when a Border Force dog detected the drugs hidden in a van in 2016.
Green’s conviction underscores the extensive and far-reaching impact of organized crime in the UK, marking a significant win for the National Crime Agency and law enforcement agencies in tackling the drug smuggling epidemic.
