Helio Delfini, 43, of Rotherhithe Street, Southwark, was sentenced to eight years in prison on Friday, April 17, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine. Delfini was a key member of a dark web drug ring operating under the vendor name UKWhite, which distributed high-purity cocaine across the UK and internationally.
Delfini managed the sophisticated online drug operation alongside Lucas Costa and Bruno Teles. Costa received a 14-year sentence in February, while Teles was sentenced to 12 years following convictions on multiple drug charges. Together, the trio sold more than 28 kilograms of cocaine within just 14 months, ranging from small half-gram deals to bulk shipments exceeding 100 grams.
Police from the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU) uncovered thousands of transactions linked to the UKWhite account. Detective Inspector Ross Flay explained how the gang used anonymising technology and cryptocurrency to conceal their activities. “Along with his co-conspirators, Delfini used anonymising technology and cryptocurrency-based payments to run a sophisticated dark web drug supply network from his home in London,” said DI Flay. “Thanks to painstaking digital forensic work and international support, we identified the people behind UKWhite and removed this vendor from the dark web.”
The investigation, which began in 2020, revealed that the group shipped cocaine not only across the UK but also internationally, operating from multiple addresses in London. Experts spent months tracing the online activity back to Delfini, Costa, and Teles. This crackdown sends a clear message that the dark web drug trade can be dismantled through relentless police efforts.
Originally published by UKNIP.
