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| Oranyendu
An international drugs smuggler dubbed 'The Chairman’, who used children's books and coffee machines to hide at least £416,000 worth of drugs, has been jailed for more than seven years.
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The high-purity cocaine was stashed in children’s books, a coffee machine and even a sprinkler system before being sent to the UK from California, Brazil and Nicaragua.
The gang also used a fake trophy in the shape of an aeroplane - complete with a commemorative plaque - to smuggle the drugs.
The smugglers were finally caught - three-and-a-half years after the ring was set up - when the powder was spotted hidden in photocopier cartridges.
Manchester Crown Court heard how 23 packages were sent to Manchester over a three-year period.
Of these, seven packages were intercepted, with a total estimated street value of around £416,000.
It means that the gang could have smuggled thousands of pounds more of cocaine into the UK.
The plot unravelled after a ‘vulnerable’ single mother in Rotherham - described as an ‘innocent dupe’ - was recruited to receive a consignment.
Manchester Crown Court heard Oranyendu recruited people to use their addresses for the scheme.
Staff at East Midlands airport opened the package, which was sent from southern California, before it arrived at the woman’s house.When they found a kilo of cocaine inside the photocopier equipment, a customs officer delivered the drugs and arrested the resident. She led them to Oranyendu’s door.
In July 2012, the recovered items were linked to the Manchester conspiracy - nearly three-and-a-half years after the supply chain was set up.
An investigation by the NCA found major courier firms such as DHL had unwittingly delivered the items to bogus individuals and companies in Clayton, Abbey Hey and Gorton.Gary Woodhall, defending, said Oranyendu, who admitted conspiracy to import cocaine, was remorseful.
He said: 'He was not involved in any retail distribution.'
The defendant was jailed for seven years and four months.
Dailymail report
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