Haulier who smuggled £19 million of cocaine into UK jailed for 20 years

A lorry driver has been jailed for 20 years for smuggling £19 million worth of Class A drugs from Belgium into the UK.

Rudi Claes, 62, a Belgian national, was sentenced on (Friday) after he was caught by officers from the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU) with 156 kilograms of cocaine in the haulier’s trailer.

Claes used his haulage company as cover for transporting the drugs and had travelled from Steenokkerzeel, Belgium in June 2023 when he stopped at Toddington Services, off the M1 in Bedfordshire.

A car, driven by Ahmed Omar, 28, of Newcomen Road, London, was seen to pull up next to the lorry, before Claes removed two boxes from the trailer and loaded them into the vehicle.

Both men were arrested after investigators from ERSOU attended the scene and searched the trailer, finding the cocaine stowed amongst a legitimate delivery of empty pharmaceutical insulation boxes used to transport medical samples.

Omar’s car was also searched and found to contain a further 36kg of cocaine in pressed kilogramme blocks.

Further enquiries by ERSOU’s detectives established that Claes and Omar were trusted members of an international organised crime group (OCG) and the blocks of cocaine were destined for onward supply within the UK.

The total potential street value of the drugs was determined by a police drugs expert to be £19.2 million.

Detective Inspector Dean Trollope, from ERSOU’s Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU), said: “Claes has received a significant custodial sentence for his role in bringing vast amounts of cocaine into the UK and the eastern region.

“As a result of the hard work of our investigators, the onwards distribution of these drugs has been prevented, helping to keep our communities safe.

“ERSOU will continue to pursue and prosecute those who are intent on inflicting harm by bringing drugs to the eastern region and in the fight against class A drug supply.”

Omar has pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply cocaine and will be sentenced at a later date.