Four members of two organised crime groups, two of whom are Albanian, have been convicted of a sophisticated cocaine smuggling operation through a British airport, following an investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA).
According to the NCA, to which Top Channel refers, those arrested include Elton Hallaç, 32, and Artur Iseberi, 27, both from Albania, who were part of a criminal group collecting drugs from Manchester Airport.
Two Britons, Dale Hosker, 49, and Dale Creen, 35, were from another group doing the same activity.
The four received cocaine from American couriers and then distributed it to other criminals across Britain.
In May 2024, eight suitcases of cocaine arrived at the airport from Cancun, Mexico. American couriers picked them up on instructions from a convict named ‘Nate’, then delivered them to Hallaçi, Iseberi, Hosker and Creen.
One of the suitcases was left behind and border officers found 20 blocks of cocaine weighing 1kg each. The NCA investigation showed that the Albanians took 100kg.
A little later, on May 31, 2024, 300 kg of high-purity cocaine, worth around £24 million, was smuggled in 12 suitcases.
At Hallaç’s home, officers found keys to a Jaguar with a secret building for professional smuggling. Also discovered were notebooks with detailed records of imports, written in Albanian and bearing Hallaç’s and Iseber’s fingerprints.
The four were also caught on security cameras at Manchester Airport. When they were arrested, Iseberi attempted to escape from the roof of his house, while a knife and machete were found in Creen’s room.
Penalties:
Elton Hallaçi: 21 years and 7 months in prison
Artur Iseberi: 18 years old
Dale Creen: 11 quick burg
Dale Hosker: Sentencing expected on June 1
Hallaçi, Iseberi and Hosker pleaded guilty to smuggling and possession with intent to distribute, while Creen was convicted by the jury of possession with intent to distribute but found not guilty of smuggling.
Cat McHugh, NCA branch commander, said: “Drug smuggling is not a victimless crime. There is a path of suffering that stretches from source countries in South America to the streets of our cities. The drug trade is closely linked to extreme violence, and innocent victims are often caught in the middle of gang clashes. For these arrestees, the only thing that matters is money.”