Danny Moore leading Emin Kandola conclude 1.4 tonne cocaine importation trial at Kingston Crown Court
September 6, 2024
Danny Moore led Emin Kandola, in representing Stephen Lloyd Jones (SLJ), the first defendant in a conspiracy to be knowingly concerned in the fraudulent evasion of the prohibition on the importation of a controlled drug of class A, namely cocaine.
SLJ was the captain of the Well Plumbed boat, accompanied by Tiamo Zanaj and Kursat Kizilkaya. The prosecution case was that all three defendants were part of a wider network of criminals who were seeking to smuggle a vast amount of cocaine into the United Kingdom. All of the cocaine was to enter the UK by a secret smuggling operation in the depths of night on the 17th and into 18th February 2023. The defendants were met with rough seas and a number of practical difficulties. Disastrously for them, they lost a very large amount of cocaine into the English Channel. In total, 14 holdalls were successfully placed onto the Well Plumbed boat, with a combined weight of 350kg of cocaine. However, from the content of telephones the court heard that this represented just a fraction of their intended haul. The intended importation was around 1400kg, worth £130 million.
The boat then returned into Sovereign Harbour in Eastbourne, arriving at around 10:30pm on 18thFebruary 2023. All three defendants were arrested and the cocaine was seized.
The defendants were convicted after a 5 week trial at Kingston Crown Court.
Stephen Lloyd Jones received 24 years imprisonment. Tiamo Zanaj received 22 years imprisonment. The third defendant is yet to be sentenced.
Danny and Emin were instructed by Chris Wray of Bond Joseph Solicitors.
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