Cases
Cases
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Op Varbody [Snaresbrook] 2025
Family OCG trafficking 1 tonne of cocaine around the UK
Charlotte Hole and Sam Willis prosecuted a family of drug traffickers responsible for moving at least one tonne of cocaine from ports in the South East to towns and cities across the UK.
Headed up by grandmother Deborah Mason, self-described as ‘Gangster Debbs’ and saved in another defendant’s phone as ‘Queen Bee’, the close-knit group of nine defendants were responsible for collecting up to 60 1kg blocks of cocaine at a time from the Harwich / Colchester area, and then delivering them to serious organised crime groups in Rotherham, Bradford, Leicester, Birmingham, Bristol and Cardiff for onward supply. Around 55 individual trips were made by the group during 2023, each trip involving multiple drug drops or cash collections, amounting to around a tonne of cocaine in total.
The trial of eight of the defendants at Woolwich Crown Court concluded this week, and involved the presentation of cell site and ANPR mapping, surveillance evidence, and a schedule of 7,500 messages exchanged between the defendants revealing the inner workings of the conspiracy.
Two of the defendants pleaded guilty during the trial and six were convicted by the jury. One defendant had already pleaded guilty at an earlier stage in the proceedings.
Charlotte and Sam were instructed by Rob Hutchinson of the CPS Complex Casework Unit.
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Op Narrative [Snaresbrook] 2024
780kg of cocaine concealed inside a shipping container
Sam Willis, led by James Brown, prosecuted the "biggest seizure of Class A drugs" ever made by Northamptonshire Police, centred around a shipment of 780kg of cocaine. Worth £78m, the drugs had been concealed inside a shipping container that had arrived into the Port of Felixstowe.
Sam was instructed by Kate Mulholland of the CPS Complex Casework Unit.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-59493377
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Op Tamora [Isleworth] 2023
Containers filled with 270kg of cocaine, 2,500kg of cannabis and 18.6m cigarettes
Charlotte Hole and Sam Willis prosecuted two importers for bringing into the UK 270 kilograms of cocaine, 2.5 tonnes of cannabis and 18.6 million duty-free cigarettes, all hidden inside shipping containers. Valued at £24m, the drugs had been vacuum-packed and then secreted inside crates of animal feed, yams and oranges. The cigarettes were concealed in a similar manner, hidden inside crates of snack food, coconut fibre and biscuits - the tax that should have been paid on them if imported lawfully totalled just over £9m.
The case followed an extensive investigation by the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit, who became involved when a farmer discovered 189kg of cocaine in a shipping container full of animal feed. The defendants had unsuccessfully tried to divert the container to their warehouse in London so that the drugs could be removed before the container reached the farm.
During the 16-week trial, the conspiracy was evidenced using material from numerous encrypted communications services. The jury heard technical evidence involving cell site analysis, VPN services, and IP address resolution.
Charlotte and Sam were instructed by the CPS Serious Economic, Organised Crime and International Directorate (SEOCID).
https://www.cps.gov.uk/cps/news/drug-smugglers-foiled-farmer-jailed-over-ps29-million-plot
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Op Melrose [CCC] 2023
People-smuggling gang linked to 39 migrant deaths in Essex
Ben Holt was instructed as lead prosecution counsel in this trial that arose from the investigation into the thirty-nine Vietnamese nationals who died in the rear of a lorry. Ben was previously instructed as led junior [led by Bill Emlyn-Jones KC] in the prosecution of a man for thirty-nine counts of manslaughter. Instructed by CPS, SEOCID.
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Operation Forte [Croydon] 2023
Spree of commercial burglaries across London committed by OCG
Sam Willis, led by Charlotte Hole, prosecuted this case of an OCG committing a spree of commercial burglaries across London. The group targeted bookmakers and other shops, typically breaking in during the night using sledgehammers and then cutting open the shop's safe using power tools. Investigated by the Flying Squad, the evidence against the eight defendants was presented over four weeks and included CCTV, covert surveillance, forensics, mobile telephone downloads, and cell site mapping.
Sam was instructed by the CPS Complex Casework Unit.
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/croydon-burglary-gang-jailed-met-flying-squad-b1088840.html
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