Six men, including former semi-professional footballers, have been jailed for a total of more than 103 years after being convicted for their involvement in a drug trafficking gang that supplied cocaine worth between £208m and £260m in the UK. The gang, described as “highly organised” by the Metropolitan Police, was brought down after the arrest of one of its members, Luke Skeete, who had 8kg of cocaine in his van.
A subsequent investigation revealed that Skeete and his associates had been distributing over 2.7 tonnes of high-grade cocaine and ketamine across the country between April and October 2022. The authorities discovered a secure messaging platform used by the gang to conceal their identities and coordinate the supply chain, leading to the identification of the other five members.
The men were sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court on May 17, with Skeete receiving a 15-year sentence earlier in 2023. They all pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges related to cocaine and ketamine distribution. Detective Constable Janes from the Met Police highlighted the significance of securing critical evidence through Skeete’s phone, leading to the group’s dismantling.