A ruthless Colombian organised crime gang has been sentenced to a combined 44 years behind bars following the discovery of a cocaine extraction lab hidden inside a London flat. The gang used an unusual method by concealing cocaine within cosmetic hair removal wax.
The City of London Police’s Serious Organised Crime Team dismantled the operation in a Vauxhall flat after receiving a tip-off from UK Border Force intelligence. Officers found 3.51kg of pure cocaine worth over £211,000 concealed inside bars of wax intended for sale in the UK.
Detective Constable Matt Cooper described the operation as “extremely dangerous and highly sophisticated,” adding, “The hazardous chemicals posed a real threat to the public and could have had devastating consequences.”
Four gang members were sentenced for their roles in the cocaine operation:
- Humberto Caicedo Ramirez, 53 – 13 years 6 months
- Carlos Barbosa Arias, 61 – 8 years (the gang’s chemistry expert)
- Sebastian Camacho Lopez, 31 – 6 years 7 months
- Jonny Delgado, 49 – 16 years (also operated an illegal cocaine supply line)
Ramirez and Arias were caught red-handed manufacturing drugs using petrol and chemicals in the flat’s homemade lab. Lopez and Delgado were arrested shortly after and charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine across London.
Additional gang members linked to the case were also jailed for drug-related offences:
- Arjan Metliaj, 38 – 4 years 8 months for possession and intent to supply Class A drugs, plus 18 months for handling criminal property
- Alina Telecan, 32 – 2 years 4 months for possession with intent to supply and 12 months for using a fake ID
Detective Cooper added, “By busting this gang, we’ve cut off a dangerous Class A drug supply network and made London’s streets safer.”
Originally published by UKNIP.
