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03/04/2007
Drug baron jailed for 30 years
The boss of a multi-million pound drug smuggling operation has been jailed for 30 years.
Brian Wright, 60, was found guilty of conspiracy to evade prohibition on the importation of a controlled drug and conspiracy to supply drugs, on Monday, following a two-month case at Woolwich Crown Court.
At sentencing, Judge Peter Moss described Wright as a "master criminal" who was "influential and powerful".
The court heard how Wright's operation was enormous, masterminding the shipment of cocaine that was worth hundreds of millions of pounds.
Luxury yachts were used to import tonnes of cocaine from South America.
An investigation was triggered when the yacht, Sea Mist, was found off Cork in Ireland with nearly 600kg of cocaine on board in 1996.
Nineteen people, excluding Wright, were arrested during the eleven year investigation, which customs officials described as probably the "most sophisticated and successful global cocaine trafficking organisation ever to target the UK".
Wright, who was originally from Ireland but lived in Chelsea, west London, fled to Northern Cyprus in 1999 and was finally arrested in Spain in 2005 and was extradited to Britain.
Prosecutors told the court that Wright, who was a well-known figure in horse-racing circles, used the sport in order to disguise the real source of his wealth.
He was known to rub shoulders with the rich and famous, including comedian Jim Davidson, who was called to testify at the trial.
(KMcA)
Brian Wright, 60, was found guilty of conspiracy to evade prohibition on the importation of a controlled drug and conspiracy to supply drugs, on Monday, following a two-month case at Woolwich Crown Court.
At sentencing, Judge Peter Moss described Wright as a "master criminal" who was "influential and powerful".
The court heard how Wright's operation was enormous, masterminding the shipment of cocaine that was worth hundreds of millions of pounds.
Luxury yachts were used to import tonnes of cocaine from South America.
An investigation was triggered when the yacht, Sea Mist, was found off Cork in Ireland with nearly 600kg of cocaine on board in 1996.
Nineteen people, excluding Wright, were arrested during the eleven year investigation, which customs officials described as probably the "most sophisticated and successful global cocaine trafficking organisation ever to target the UK".
Wright, who was originally from Ireland but lived in Chelsea, west London, fled to Northern Cyprus in 1999 and was finally arrested in Spain in 2005 and was extradited to Britain.
Prosecutors told the court that Wright, who was a well-known figure in horse-racing circles, used the sport in order to disguise the real source of his wealth.
He was known to rub shoulders with the rich and famous, including comedian Jim Davidson, who was called to testify at the trial.
(KMcA)
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