Key facts
- Two men were convicted and sentenced on April 23, 2026, for their roles in retrieving and distributing cocaine from a £26.5 million shipment dropped at sea off the Somerset coast.
- One of the men convicted in the Somerset cocaine case received a sentence of over 20 years.
- Five men were sentenced in 2026 for smuggling £1.4 million worth of ketamine into Suffolk via a fishing boat from Amsterdam.
- A separate investigation revealed a £30 million plot to smuggle cocaine into the UK from Spain and France, hidden in consignments of fish, duck, and foie gras.
- Michael Keating was jailed for 24 years for importing cocaine and received concurrent sentences for importing ketamine.
- The NCA investigated multiple large-scale drug trafficking prosecutions in England and Wales in 2026.
Multiple criminal networks involved in importing significant quantities of cocaine and ketamine into the United Kingdom have been dismantled, leading to several convictions and substantial prison sentences. Investigations by the National Crime Agency (NCA), often in collaboration with Border Force and local police, have targeted sophisticated smuggling operations utilizing sea-based methods and commercial cover.
In one case, on April 23, 2026, two men were convicted and sentenced following the interception of a cocaine shipment valued at £26.5 million. This operation involved a sea-based supply method where the drugs were dropped off at sea and retrieved by a vessel in British waters, a technique designed to evade port security. Surveillance assets tracked the operation, leading to arrests and convictions at Bristol Crown Court. One individual received a sentence exceeding 20 years, reflecting the scale of the operation and their central role in the retrieval and onward distribution of the cocaine.
Separately, five men were sentenced in 2026 for their involvement in smuggling £1.4 million worth of ketamine from Amsterdam to Suffolk. This operation used a fishing vessel as cover, exploiting the difficulty of monitoring numerous commercial boats in the North Sea. The NCA's intelligence-led operation identified the vessel and its route, resulting in arrests on the Suffolk coast and subsequent custodial sentences for the defendants.
Another investigation, revealed in April 2025, centered on a £30 million smuggling ring masterminded by an underworld figure known as "Urban Flamingo," believed to be operating from Spain. This operation involved smuggling cocaine across the Channel hidden in consignments of fish, duck, and foie gras, as well as in golf bags. Encrypted phone chats revealed the plot, leading to the interception of multiple shipments. Four men, including Michael Keating, who was described as running the gang and dealing directly with "Urban Flamingo," were jailed for a total of 58.5 years at Lewes Crown Court. Michael Keating received 24 years for importing cocaine, with concurrent sentences for importing ketamine. His brother, Matthew Keating, admitted to smuggling 80kg of ketamine.