Two surprised drug traffickers, arrested after smuggling £3 million worth of cocaine from Barbados inside two metal suitcases, are each beginning sixteen-year prison sentences.
Jobless Michael Richardson, 39, (pic.l.) of Albert Road, South Norwood, Croydon and Christopher Grocott, 45, (pic.r.) of Millponds Estate, West Lane, Rotherhithe, South-East London were caught by the Metropolitan Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Command.
Richardson arrived at Gatwick Airport on March 17 with the red and silver suitcases and police followed his BMW to Grocott’s flat, Inner London Crown Court was told.
The 21 one-kilo blocks of cocaine were moved to another south-east London address and police raided the flat, where the duo were holed-up.
Grocott asked officers: “How did you know we were here?” and Richardson said: “It's all down to me!”
Both had matching silver keys, which unlocked the red drugs-laden suitcase.
Police seized the cocaine in a locked room at Grocott’s unsuspecting niece’s flat in Winford Court, Peckham.
When quizzed Grocott told police: “My cousin Michael Richardson came back from holiday and told me he had drugs in his case.
“I told him I didn't want them in my flat, but I decided to help him by hiding them for a short time.
“I thought the drugs were weed (cannabis). I put them in the back room of my niece's flat.
“She was sleeping when I went in, she knows nothing of this. I knocked on her bedroom door and told her I've put two suitcases in there.”
Detective Constable Mark Reeves from the Metropolitan Police’s Projects Team said: “These men attempted to import large volumes of an illegal drug into this country.
“The blatant manner in which they did this shows they had no regard for the law, were financially motivated and even prepared to incriminate an innocent relative in the process.
“The severity of today's sentence shows how seriously the judicial system takes anyone dealing illegal drugs.”
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