A London bus driver and his wife who imported £4.9m worth of cocaine from the Dominican Republic cleverly concealed inside breadfruit were locked-up for a total of 17 years yesterday (Friday).
Ronald Russell-Taylor, 28, and Colombian-born mum-of-four Deisy Taylor, 37, both of Wooler Street, Walworth, had their own import company, purporting to fly in Ecuadorian flowers, arts and crafts, plus fruit and veg.
They and ex-Colombian auxiliary policeman John Zambrano-Mello, 32, of Unwin Close, Camberwell, pleaded guilty at Inner London Crown Court to importing cocaine between June 1 and October 20, last year.
"You can't complain if you play with fire and your fingers get burnt," Judge John Rylance told the couple, jailing first-time offender Russell-Taylor (pic. top) for nine years and his wife (pic. 2nd top) for eight years.
"You two allowed yourselves to be involved in keys roles in the sophisticated large scale importation of dangerous drugs. I have no doubt major criminals were involved and they were able to reap large criminal profits for themselves and inflict untold damage on the health of some of the inhabitants of this country."
Officers from the Metropolitan Police's Central Task Force seized 20.12 kilos of 100% pure cocaine on October 20 after following a Mercedes van from Heathrow Airport's cargo terminal to Zambrano-Mello's address.
The cocaine was contained within fifteen "football-sized" objects wrapped in cling-film that had been stuffed into two green-string bags along with the breadfruit.
The consignment of breadfruit had been ordered by 'Taylor Imports' and there was evidence of three previous suspicious importations of fruit and veg.
"If any drugs were involved in earlier importations I imagine the amounts increased over time and they were just test runs. All the importations were geared-up to this major importation," added Judge Rylance.
In father-of-three Zambrano-Mello's bedroom (pic. bottom) police seized drug-cutting agents, including caffeine, used to bulk up the cocaine plus kitchen and electronic scales and a blender.
"It was a drug factory. Altering and cutting cocaine to increase profits," said prosecutor Mr. Dominic Connolly.
The couple, who had dreams of buying Porsche's and a Colombian villa, claimed they had been subjected to threats by South-American gangsters had had made no more than £500 from the previous importations.
Police discovered they wired £10,000 to Colombia between December 24, 2008 and September 17, last year and despite purportedly importing perishable goods never seemed to be in a hurry to collect from the airport.
Zambrano-Mello (pic. 3rd top) was sentenced to seven years imprisonment and Judge Ryland told him: "You involved yourself and provided storage and a factory for the cutting and mixing of these drugs."
Afterwards Detective Constable Ian Tomlinson of the Central Task Force said: "These convictions are the result of a long term proactive investigation by The Central Task Force targeting Columbian cocaine importation.
"In conjunction with the UK Border Agency, over 20 kilos of high grade cocaine was seized and this particular organised criminal network has been effectively dismantled.
"Individuals who consider embarking upon such 'get rich quick' schemes without a care for those adversely affected, should be reminded that they are gambling with their liberty.
"Law enforcement agencies will robustly target them and their conviction and imprisonment will surely follow.
"The Taylor's and Zambrano have learnt this lesson the hard way."
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