A lorry driver was caught attempting to smuggle nearly £3m worth of cocaine into the UK, cleverly hidden amongst a legitimate cargo of Lego. Feruz Kadirov, a 43-year-old Uzbekistani trucker, was stopped at Dover, where Border Force officers discovered 35kg of cocaine disguised as innocent toy bricks.
Kadirov claimed he thought the packages contained tobacco and said he was forced into the job under threats to his family’s safety. However, the court didn’t buy his story. Judge Sarah Counsell sentenced him to nine years and nine months, stating that he was undoubtedly aware of his critical role in this operation.
Driving through the UK under the guise of delivering plastic building blocks, Kadirov’s deception unravelled when authorities found the drugs during a routine check. Beneath a bunk mattress and stashed in a fridge unit, 20 tape-wrapped packages were uncovered. Each package contained high-purity cocaine, worth a staggering amount on the street.
While the defence argued that Kadirov was coerced into smuggling by threats from a mysterious figure named ‘John’, the court emphasised the devastating impact of such crimes on communities. Tracey Gasson from the National Crime Agency described how organised crime groups thrive on the misuse of trusted transport routes and stressed that greed often fuels these crimes.
By intercepting Kadirov, authorities dealt a significant blow to organised crime, preventing potential profits from fuelling other illicit activities. This case serves as a stark reminder of the lengths criminals will go to disguise illegal operations and the importance of vigilance in protecting our borders.