Great Yarmouth man jailed for 16 years after posting drugs across the UK

A man involved in a drugs ring where commercial quantities of cash and drugs were sent through the post for customers all over the UK has been sentenced to a total of 16 years in prison at Norwich Crown Court today (9 May 2024).

Louis Boyle, 35, of Howard’s Way, Bradwell, Great Yarmouth, has been sentenced for conspiring to supply a Class A drug and being concerned in the supply of ecstasy, cannabis, and cocaine between January 1 2022 and 30 November 2022.

Boyle previously pleaded guilty to the offences.

The court heard how the was arrested on 29 November 2022 when a package was seized from Royal Mail in Great Yarmouth which was addressed to the home of Boyle.

Police discovered the package contained one kilogram of cocaine.

Boyle was arrested and officers uncovered large amounts of cash, commercial quantities of Class A drugs together with heat-sealing vacuum equipment across various properties. He was questioned at Wymondham Police Investigation Centre before being charged and remanded for drugs offences.

The arrest followed the launch of Operation Venturi, an investigation led by the Norfolk and Suffolk Constabulary Serious and Organised Crime Unit, investigating the supply of Class A drugs on a large scale across both counties.

The investigation followed a warrant carried out on 22 March 2022 at a property in the South Norfolk and further searches which led to the seizure of more Class A, B and C drugs. A mobile phone and sim were seized by police. This device was examined and extensive evidence was recovered which identified an established cocaine dealing network within an encrypted communication platform. The network was called ‘COKEKINGS’ and Boyle was identified by investigators as being one of administrators of this group.

The encrypted platform was being used by members of a serious and organised crime network which essentially left no ‘digital footprint’ on the servers. Extensive evidence was recovered which showed Boyle was offering commercial quantities of cocaine for sale between January 2022 and March 2022 and was in possession of at least 12 kilos of cocaine during the period it’s offered up for sale on the group.

COKEKINGS showed multi kilo amounts of cocaine being offered for sale from street level gram up to kilo blocks. Messages included photos of the drugs including the results of purity tests showing the strength of the cocaine on offer. The group had over 70 people who had access to the COKEKINGS Platform.

Boyle has also been connected via another mobile phone seized as part of the operation. This device contained screenshots of blocks of cocaine posted by ‘Lou’ between 18 January 2022 and 27 October 2022.

During the summer, Boyle was observed going into a variety of retail outlets where he visited the Post Office counters and posted multiple parcels at a time. Boyle was seen on multiple occasions by police making phone calls, collecting and delivering or posting parcels using the Tracked Service.

In October 2022, a package posted by Boyle which was seized by police. When opened by police this parcel was found to contain £25,000 in cash.

It was after the seizure of the £25,000, Boyle then paid an associate to travel from the Great Yarmouth area to the North West of England to deliver cash whilst using hire vehicles. This took place on four separate occasions.

Detective Sergeant Eddie Hammond said: “This was an extensive and complex investigation over a protracted period. Significant quantities of Class A drugs have been seized along with large amounts of cash during the operation which has led to dismantling this organised crime network. The seriousness of commercial drug supply should not be under estimated. The amount of drugs that were being distributed and supplied were substantial. We will continue to work tirelessly and will do everything in our power to bring drug dealers to justice.”