Cocaine gang caught after lorry driver's tea break in Northampton

Summarised from 3 outlets · 4 reports · Updated 4 Nov, 18:27 · Archive

Police recovered 78kg of cocaine worth more than £80 million after witnesses spotted men removing packages from a lorry at a Northampton layby in November 2021.

A cocaine haul worth more than £80 million was discovered after the driver of a lorry stopped for tea at a roadside burger van in Northampton. Witnesses at the layby saw a grey Transit van pull up, and men removed large wrapped packages from the vehicle before fleeing the scene. The lorry was supposed to contain 29 pallets of steel furniture parts, sealed before leaving Mexico in September 2021.

Police found seven holdalls containing cocaine inside the lorry. Within two hours, Northamptonshire Police located the Transit van and recovered a further 11 holdalls containing drugs. In total, 18 holdalls containing 78kg of class A drug were seized on 26 November 2021.

The discovery prompted a two-year investigation by Metropolitan Police specialist officers, who unravelled the gang's movements through financial records. The smugglers had arrived in Ipswich on the same day the shipment arrived at Felixstowe port on 12 November. Craig Le-Mare, 36, from Watford, left the UK shortly after the drugs were seized but was arrested at Gatwick Airport on 25 January 2025. He was jailed for 20 years at the Old Bailey after being found guilty of conspiracy to supply class A drugs. Michael Weston, 57, and Kelly Robertson, 46, also from Watford, received 12 years and nine months, and 15 years respectively after admitting their involvement.

How it is being reported

• Trio sentenced over £80m cocaine smuggling plot unravelled by lorry driver's pit stopPolice recovered 780kg of cocaine with a street value of more than £80 millionEvening Standard · 4 Nov, 22:39
• £80,000,000 drug heist foiled by trucker’s stop for cup of teaTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Up Next Previous Page Next Page A lorry driver who stopped for a cup of tea at a burger van managed to foil an £80 million cocaine heist. Officers were called after the driver saw a grey…Metro · 4 Nov, 21:09
• £80m cocaine plot unravelled after lorry driver stopped at burger vanPolice found 78kg of the class A drug in totalThe Independent · 4 Nov, 18:12
• £80m cocaine plot rumbled after gang took advantage of lorry driver’s tea breakA gang of men were spotted removing packages from the vehicle, and police were called in.Evening Standard · 4 Nov, 16:40

In this story: Northampton · Felixstowe · Ipswich · Craig Le-Mare · Kelly Robertson · Michael Weston · Metropolitan Police · Northamptonshire Police

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