Three men have been sentenced to a total of 47 years in jail after a proactive police operation led by Met detectives successfully dismantled an organized criminal group involved in supplying cocaine in south east London.
Between March and June 2020, the trio played key roles in distributing over 45kgs of cocaine, which was then distributed across south east London, including to county lines drug gangs.
Warren Wright, 48, from Greenwich, was sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment for conspiracy to supply over 15kgs of cocaine.
Mark John Baeza, 44, from Greenwich, received an 18-year prison sentence for conspiracy to supply 15kgs of cocaine.
Xieng Ly, 41, from Rochester, also received an 18-year prison sentence for conspiracy to supply 11kgs of cocaine and 6kgs of cannabis.
Xieng Ly
Warren Wright
All three men were found guilty at Woolwich Crown Court on Thursday, 20 July, and their sentencing took place at Woolwich Crown Court and Isleworth Crown Court.
The trio operated using encrypted devices to evade detection, but the police's dedicated efforts led to their apprehension and conviction.
Detective Constable Imran Hansraj, from the Serious and Organized Crime team, praised the collaborative effort of multiple police teams in dismantling the organized crime group.
Baeza and Ly managed multiple addresses in south east London for storing drugs and cash while employing individuals below them to handle and prepare the drugs for sale.
Wright, known by the handle 'WETWARRIOR,' was employed by Baeza to manage drugs and cash.
The ENCRO chat platform was crucial in their illegal activities, as it allowed them to buy and sell large amounts of cocaine.
The police became aware of the group's activities during proactive work by the Operation Eternal team to identify users of the ENCRO system.
In January 2021, search warrants were executed in south east London, resulting in the arrests of Baeza and Wright.
At Wright's residence, over £30,000 in cash was seized, along with an ENCRO chat phone with the username “OWLWELDER.”
Substantial evidence from the ENCRO chat phone linked Ly to the handle “OWNDRAGON,” leading to his arrest in July 2022 as he returned to the UK.
Now, with the criminal case concluded, the police will proceed with misconduct proceedings against the convicted officers.
The impact of this successful operation is seen as crucial in combatting drug-related violence and exploitation in the region.
In other news, two police officers have been found guilty of reckless driving after a deadly collision occurred while they were responding to an emergency call, resulting in the tragic death of a 25-year-old woman. For the detailed story, continue reading here.
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