James Thacker, Jennifer Newcomb and Kyah Mufti successfully prosecute Organised Criminal Network

News | Fri 13th Nov, 2020

Between June 2018 and January 2020, the Metropolitan Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Command conducted a surveillance operation (“Operation Edge”), targeted at an Organised Criminal Network (OCN) engaged in the supply of significant quantities of class A and B controlled drugs.  Police intervention over the course of the conspiracy resulted in the seizure of in excess of 31kg of cocaine, 308kg of amphetamine, 593kg of cannabis, and approximately £900,000 in cash.

Twenty conspirators were prosecuted, as part of the conspiracy or for substantive offences committed in furtherance of it. Nineteen pleaded guilty.  The remaining defendant, the principal of the OCN, contested three allegations of conspiracy to supply cocaine, amphetamine and cannabis.  Following an 18 day trial at the Crown Court sitting at Woolwich, Matthew Harrod was unanimously convicted.

Nine defendants will be sentenced on 10^th December 2020. The remaining eleven have already been sentenced.

James Thacker led Jennifer Newcomb and Kyah Mufti. They were instructed by CPS London South.