The United Kingdom has dealt a decisive blow to an ambitious transnational drug trafficking operation, jailing two suspected ringleaders who spent years orchestrating schemes to flood the country with cocaine and cannabis. The convictions come at a time when Europe faces a historic surge in narcotics smuggling, with drug cartels exploiting maritime routes, container shipments, and the continent’s porous supply chains to feed a multibillion-euro trade.

According to the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), the ringleaders-Lee McClenaghan, 57, and Lea Talbot, 55-were the brains behind an elaborate plan to sail 600 kilograms of cocaine across the Atlantic. Their method was as bold as it was deceptive: they intended to disguise the shipment as part of a legitimate transatlantic sailing race in 2020. By embedding themselves in an event tied to sport and endurance, they sought to evade scrutiny from maritime authorities.

But when the race was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the group shifted gears. Instead of abandoning their ambitions, they pursued other trafficking methods, hiding cocaine within container loads of fruit and vegetables and orchestrating large-scale cannabis imports from Morocco.

The operation unraveled in May 2022, when investigators seized 408 kilograms of cannabis concealed inside a lathe machine, exposing a broader conspiracy that had been years in the making. The seizure, officials say, confirmed the group’s ability to adapt and exploit global supply chains.

The UK courts handed down severe punishments. McClenaghan was sentenced to 30 years in prison, while........

© Blitz