“We basically watched the criminals open up the particular parts of the consignment, where we knew the cocaine had been hidden and where we knew they thought it was,” Mr Coles said. “At that point our officers went in and arrested them.”
Various boxes, mobile phones, empty suitcases and a loaded black Turkish Ozkursan revolver were found as officers searched the warehouse.
Zhutev, Diko and Kuci were all arrested and subsequently charged with importing Class A drugs, as well as possessing a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life.
Diko and Kuci pleaded guilty to the charges, but Zhutev denied any involvement and was cleared of the firearm and ammunition offences after a trial at London’s Old Bailey last summer.
Jurors failed to reach a verdict on the drugs importation charges and a retrial took place this summer. Zhutev changed his plea to guilty in September.
Muci, who the NCA described as one of the scheme’s principle organisers, was found guilty of smuggling and supplying Class A drugs after a trial which ended on Thursday.
Ebeja – who the NCA says was the intended lookout and driver for the drugs – was found guilty of smuggling Class A drugs at the same trial, but the jury failed to reach a verdict on the charge of supplying them.
Judge Trowler lifted a reporting restriction on the verdicts after the prosecution announced it would not seek a retrial on the outstanding charge.
Mr Coles said there was nothing to suggest the previous owners of the Agro Food Ltd had any knowledge of the criminal activity.
He said neither Zhutev, Kuci or Diko had much of a “footprint” in the UK.
Mr Coles added Zhutev had been determined to smuggle cocaine into the UK and “came here specifically for that purpose”, finding a legitimate company to purchase.
On the face of it, he said the company then continued trading in the same way, but added: “Instead, they used it to hide the importation of cocaine.”
