Dorset man planned to smuggle one tonne of 'high quality' cannabis into UK

Rupert Kelly, 29, of Higher Park Farm, Broadwindsor, was jailed for five-and-a-years after he took a ‘leading role’ in a planned operation to import cannabis from Morocco via a sailing yacht into the UK between February 29 and June 1, 2020. He planned to sell each kilo for between £3,000 to £3,500 – yielding at least £3 million in income.

Bristol Crown Court heard how Kelly, Gavin Challis, 46, from Essex and Daniel Parrot and Jason Tongue, both aged 47 and from Nottinghamshire, conspired to collect the packages of Class B drugs from a moored yacht, land at the Cornish Coast to then be distributed across the country.

In order to discuss the drug trafficking plot, the four individuals used encrypted communication network EncroChat and used code names to disguise their identities.

Rupert Kelly, 29, of Broadwindsor, Dorset, was jailed for planning to smuggle cannabis into the country. Picture: NCA

Under the alias ‘Organic Shoe’, Kelly was to arrange a boat and crew to access the moored yacht and bring the drugs package back onto the UK coast using a rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB).

Kelly asked Challis, also known as ‘Mushroom Waffle’ to purchase and supply the drugs and instructed Parrott, under the handle of ‘Bluff Pizza’ to buy fuel drums to for a boat.

The planned operation was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Part of Operation Venetic – the UK law enforcement response to the takedown of EncroChat – the NCA’s investigation found that the group had discussed the quantity of drugs to be transported, as well as images of the RHIB and landing areas for the cannabis.

The men were all arrested and officers seized multiple mobile phones from their properties.

A search of Kelly’s home in Dorset, showed ‘a great immersion into the world of drugs’ and messages on his devices showed he ‘bragged’ about his illegal activity, sitting Judge Julian Lambert remarked. More than £25,000 was found in cash.

Outside Bristol Crown Court

Kelly, Tongue and Parrot all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic Class B drugs into the county. Challis also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cannabis.

Sentencing, Judge Lambert told Kelly: “You are 29 years old, of no relevant previous convictions, and issued a later plea of guilty of a conspiracy to import cannabis.

“Of course, looking at the extent of the communications, I have to assessed your role in the end and I will say you were the organiser and played the leading role.”

He commented that he may have been embedded within a criminal hierarchy and observed there was ‘a degree of pressure’ put upon him.

Kelly was sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison. The other members of the group were handed shorter sentences, as Parrot was jailed for three-and-a-half years, Challis was sentenced to three years and Tongue will be behind bars for 18 months.