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Redhill helicopter drug smugglers gang jailed Redhill helicopter drug smugglers gang jailed
(35 minutes later)
A gang who smuggled £12m of cocaine and heroin into the UK in a helicopter from Belgium has been jailed. Smugglers who brought £12m of cocaine and heroin into the UK in a helicopter from Belgium have been jailed.
Dutch pilot Niels Wartenbergh, 28, flew the rented aircraft into Redhill Aerodrome on 21 April with passenger Ricardo Vorstenbosch, 27. Dutch pilot Niels Wartenbergh, 28, flew the rented aircraft into Redhill Aerodrome on 21 April with 27-year-old passenger Ricardo Vorstenbosch.
Beforehand it slipped under the radar to drop the drugs in Kent where they were picked up by courier Joseph Peel, 39, Croydon Crown Court heard.Beforehand it slipped under the radar to drop the drugs in Kent where they were picked up by courier Joseph Peel, 39, Croydon Crown Court heard.
All three pleaded guilty to conspiring to import class A drugs.All three pleaded guilty to conspiring to import class A drugs.
Wartenbergh and fellow Dutch national Vorstenbosch were each jailed for 18 years and Peel, from North Kensington in north-west London, for 16 years.Wartenbergh and fellow Dutch national Vorstenbosch were each jailed for 18 years and Peel, from North Kensington in north-west London, for 16 years.
The court was told the helicopter was being tracked as part of an investigation involving the National Crime Agency (NCA), Metropolitan Police, Border Force, and the Dutch and Belgian authorities.The court was told the helicopter was being tracked as part of an investigation involving the National Crime Agency (NCA), Metropolitan Police, Border Force, and the Dutch and Belgian authorities.
The NCA said Wartenbergh and Vorstenbosch were arrested shortly after they landed at Redhill.The NCA said Wartenbergh and Vorstenbosch were arrested shortly after they landed at Redhill.
Meanwhile Peel was making a 100mph getaway on the M20 in a hired BMW from the drop at Yalding.Meanwhile Peel was making a 100mph getaway on the M20 in a hired BMW from the drop at Yalding.
He was stopped and arrested by the Metropolitan Police after he suddenly pulled on to the London-bound M26.He was stopped and arrested by the Metropolitan Police after he suddenly pulled on to the London-bound M26.
They found six holdalls in the boot containing 43kg (95lb) of cocaine and 60kg (132lb) of heroin with a street value of £12m, along with more than 30 encrypted mobile phones.They found six holdalls in the boot containing 43kg (95lb) of cocaine and 60kg (132lb) of heroin with a street value of £12m, along with more than 30 encrypted mobile phones.
Later the same day Dutch police searched Vorstenbosch's home in Eindhoven and uncovered another 3kg (7lb) of cocaine, a drug press, vacuum packing machines and a gun. Later the same day Dutch police searched Vorstenbosch's home in Eindhoven and uncovered another 3kg (7lb) of cocaine, a drug press, vacuum-packing machines and a gun.
Gary Fennelly, head of the NCA's team at Gatwick, said it was targeting criminals who tried to use small airfields as a way into the UK.
"In addition to recovering over 100kg of class A drugs, the operation prevented crime on a much wider scale by denying the sale of drugs worth millions to the crime group."