Milton Keynes men plead guilty to £40 million Class A drugs conspiracy

An investigation by the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU), supported by the National Crime Agency (NCA) and Border Force, discovered that between November 2018 and August 2019, 39 deliveries were made to a farm in Hunsden.

Two of the deliveries were intercepted by UK and Dutch authorities, with 45 kilograms of heroin and 70 kilograms of cocaine being seized.

The other 37 deliveries are believed to have contained approximately 350 kilograms of cocaine and 1,485 kilograms of heroin.

In total the organised crime group smuggled Class A drugs with an estimated wholesale value of between £40 million and £58 million into the country, in what is Hertfordshire’s biggest ever drugs conspiracy.

Four men were arrested by officers from ERSOU last year, while a fifth man was arrested by police in the Netherlands.

Robert Brooks, 50, of Elder Court, Hertfordshire, played a leading role in the deliveries and owned the premises to which they were delivered.

He was supported by Richard Campbell, 49, and Tomasz Wozniak, 29, both of Waterside, Milton Keynes, who both played significant roles in assisting Brooks.

Stephen Capp, 56, of Old Lodges, Hull, worked as a courier within the organised crime group. He was arrested on the M25 in December, with five kilograms of cocaine being found in his car.

The four men all pleaded guilty to offences in relation to the drugs importation at a hearing at St Albans Crown Court yesterday (Wednesday).

Pieter Mannessenn, 50, from Amsterdam, was arrested by Dutch authorities following the seizure of cocaine in Holland. He has since been sentenced to six years imprisonment in Holland.

Detective Chief Inspector Trevor Davidson, from ERSOU, said: “This is biggest ever drugs conspiracy Hertfordshire has seen, and the largest drugs conspiracy investigation in the history of the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit.

“We worked closely alongside Border Force, the National Crime Agency, and the police in the Netherlands on this operation, and it’s thanks to this partnership working, and the dedication of our officers, that we were able to uncover and arrest this group.”

“Drug trafficking is a major source of revenue for organised crime groups, and a crime that causes real harm to communities across the country, which is why we’re committed to doing all we can and using our wide range of specialist tactics to ensure groups like this are uncovered and stopped."

Full court details

Robert Brooks pleaded guilty to conspiracy to fraudulently evade the prohibition on the importation of a controlled drug of Class A namely heroin and cocaine, and possession of criminal property.

Richard Campbell pleaded guilty to conspiracy to fraudulently evade the prohibition on the importation of a controlled drug of Class A namely heroin and cocaine.

Tomasz Wozniak pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply a controlled drug of Class A namely heroin and cocaine.

Stephen Capp, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply a controlled drug of Class A namely heroin and cocaine, and possession with intent to supply Class A drugs.

They have been remanded in custody ahead of sentencing in March.