Stolen car stop on A12 leads to £50K cocaine bust and jail for two dealers
Proactive policing uncovers large-scale drug operation and jails two men for a combined 10 years.
A routine stop of a stolen car on the A12 has uncovered a major cocaine supply route and led to the jailing of two men involved in drug trafficking.
The case began in May 2023, when police on patrol spotted a vehicle with cloned number plates travelling along the A12. Multiple units moved in and surrounded the car when it stopped at a service station in Feering.
The driver, 50-year-old Lee Ansell, was detained at the scene. Officers recovered two 1kg blocks of cocaine from the boot, with an estimated street value of between £48,000 and £60,000. The vehicle was also confirmed as stolen from an address in Bedfordshire.
Following an investigation by Braintree CID and the Serious Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), officers identified Ansell as a courier who had been paid to transport drugs for criminal associates.
The investigation led to Paul Jones, 41, of Beaumont Road, Flitwick, Bedfordshire, who had directed Ansell in the operation. Both men were charged with conspiring to supply cocaine and later pleaded guilty.
They appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court on Friday, 22 August. Jones was sentenced to seven years in prison, and Ansell received three years and six months.
Detective Inspector Frazer Low of SOCU said:
“This was an example of good, proactive police work and a collaborative approach across several teams.
What started with the recovery of a stolen vehicle and the seizure of drugs led to further work to put a dent in an operation supplying drugs in large quantities in Essex.”
Police have confirmed that further action will be taken under the Proceeds of Crime Act to recover any illicit profits.
Essex Police are urging the public to report suspicious activity and share any concerns about possible drug crime or exploitation.