Two brothers from Preston have been handed lengthy prison sentences for their leading roles in a sophisticated plot to smuggle a massive haul of cocaine, worth an estimated £26.5 million, into the United Kingdom.
The Fishing Trip Deception
Craig Nuttall, 51, and his brother Raymond Nuttall, 47, arrived at Watchet Marina in Somerset on July 23, presenting themselves as sea anglers. They told the marina manager they would be using their Rigid Hulled Inflatable Boat (RHIB), named Guzzla, for a few days of fishing.
This story was a carefully constructed cover for their real intentions. On the evening of July 30, they were joined by two other men: Anestis Tsepa, a 24-year-old from Greece, and Melios Delvina, a 38-year-old from Albania.
The Nighttime Drug Collection
The operation swung into action after dark. Raymond Nuttall drove a van down the quayside and unloaded equipment, while Craig Nuttall, Tsepa, and Delvina put on lifejackets and set out to sea in the Guzzla at 8:46 pm.
According to the National Crime Agency (NCA), audio messages recovered from Tsepa's device revealed the details of their mission. The group was coordinating an at-sea rendezvous with a 'mother ship'—a larger cargo vessel that is believed to have dropped the illegal consignment into the water for collection by the smaller RHIB.
"In the background of the messages, the Guzzla’s engine can be heard as they travel, discussing how long it will take their smaller, daughter vessel to arrive," an NCA spokesperson said.
The Bust and the Haul
The four men returned to the marina over four hours later, at 1 am on July 31. As they began attempting to connect the boat to a trailer, NCA officers moved in and arrested them on suspicion of importing Class A drugs.
A search of the vessel uncovered the staggering scale of their operation. Investigators found 14 packages containing a further 322 smaller packages, each weighing one kilogram. Forensic tests confirmed the substance was cocaine with a high purity of 89%. The total street value was confirmed at £26.5 million.
Adding to the severity of the crime, a firearm was also discovered on the boat.
Sentencing and Aftermath
All four men eventually pleaded guilty to the importation of cocaine. The Nuttall brothers entered their pleas at Taunton Crown Court on August 29, while Tsepa and Delvina admitted to the charges on September 5. Tsepa also pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition.
At sentencing, Raymond Nuttall received 11 years and three months in prison, and Craig Nuttall was given 11 years and two months. Anestis Tsepa was sentenced to one year and four months. Melios Delvina, who claimed in a prepared statement that he was simply hired to unload items with no knowledge of the drugs, is scheduled to be sentenced on December 11.
Gavin Webb, the NCA's Regional Head of Investigations, stated: "These men were working as part of an organised crime group, using the cover of darkness to collect a significant amount of cocaine that would have ended up on the streets of the UK."
