A West Norwood man has been jailed for 12 years for his involvement in a Caribbean cocaine smuggling group.

Abdul Thomas, 34, of Franklin Close, was one of at least five people who helped import at least £1 million worth of cocaine into the UK from Jamaica.

The National Crime Agency began investigating the group in June 2016 following a Border Force seizure of 5kg of cocaine concealed in packets of coconut milk powder at Manchester Airport.

NCA officers identified Nigel Roberts, 41, a barber from Birmingham, as the ringleader and organiser of three subsequent importations of cocaine into UK airports.

Each seizure consisted of between 5kg-10kg of cocaine, some in identical packaging as the first, with others disguised as coffee or LaSoy Milk.

Thomas assisted Roberts with the fourth importation in December 2016.

Thomas sent him a voice note on WhatsApp previously to underline the plan, instructing him to “take out what you need to take out” from the suitcases before sending them down to London.

After receiving the cocaine, Roberts would split it up to be sold on to street-level dealers.

On July 20 at Minshull Street Crown Court, Roberts was sentenced to 13 and a half years in prison and Thomas was sentenced to 12 years.

Diana Ricketts and Deannia Madden-Walker both received six years for their roles in the drugs operation.

The fifth member of the team, Craig Mullings, will be sentenced at a later date.

John Hughes, operations manager at the NCA, said: “Roberts and his network were involved in a potentially lucrative business importing class A drugs into the UK.

“Not only would these profits have gone on to fund the supply of dangerous drugs, it would have fuelled the violence we so regularly see associated with this kind of activity.

“Crack cocaine is also a key commodity within the county lines model and contributes to the exploitation of vulnerable people and children.

“We work closely with our Border Force and international colleagues to stem the flow of illegal drugs into the UK and protect the public from the inevitable harm this causes.”