A south Croydon man who was part of a drugs gang that conspired to supply Class A drugs has been jailed for 12 years.

Daniel Kennedy, 33, of Blunt Road was jailed after being convicted of conspiracy to import three kilograms of cocaine via Gatwick Airport, following a ten week trial.

Kennedy's accomplices Thomas Ramdas of Norwood Road, Tulse Hill, and Keith Prempeh of Spring Grove Road, Isleworth, were also jailed.

Ramdas, 34, was sentenced to 18 years for conspiracy to supply crack cocaine, conspiracy to supply three kilograms of heroin, conspiracy to import three kilograms of cocaine via Gatwick Airport and conspiracy to import cocaine via Gatwick Airport.

Prempeh, 45, was jailed for four years for conspiracy to import three kilograms of cocaine via Gatwick Airport.

Kingston Crown Court heard Ramdas was identified as the head of an organisation that involved importing class A drugs into the UK from Jamaica.

Ramdas would use his commercial premises of Bubbas Restaurant in Tulse Hill to distribute the cocaine and heroin to other south London gang members.

In February, a car travelling on the M1 towards London was stopped and searched on the Edgware Road.

Three dog biscuit boxes each containing one kilogram of heroin were found in the boot and a salt box containing 0.5 kilograms of crack cocaine were found in the front passenger seat, and were being delivered to Ramdas.

Further investigation revealed Ramdas and Kennedy had recruited Prempeh as a courier to import a large quantity of cocaine with an 82 percent purity into the UK from Jamaica.

On March 28, police waited his arrival at Gatwick where he was stopped with the assistance of UKBA and found to be wearing a tailor made body suit containing three kilograms of cocaine strapped to his body.

Ramdas and Kennedy were arrested in simultaneous operations. Ramdas was also convicted of further Conspiracy to import Cocaine via Gatwick Airport after evidence was given detailing Ramdas recruiting, planning and paying vulnerable young females to act as couriers to travel overseas to the Caribbean to import Class A drugs on his behalf.

Detective Inspector Troon from the MPS Central Task Force of the Specialist Economic and Organised Crime Command said: "This investigation shows that we will seek anyone actively involved in the drugs trade and use all the powers available to us to combat it.

"The message is clear - if you deal in drugs we will find you, we will arrest you and you will be put in front of the courts to face the consequences of your actions".

 

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