By Tony O’Reilly-
The comprehensive criminal enterprise orchestrated by Eddie Burton, aged 23, and his former partner, Sian Banks, aged 25, ultimately collapsed following an extensive investigation by the National Crime Agency.
Eddie Burton, aged 23, and his former partner, Sian Banks, aged 25. NCA
Their convictions relate to the attempted importation of a substantial 307 kilograms of illegal substances, including significant quantities of heroin, cocaine, and ketamine, valued at an estimated £20 million on the street.
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Border Force officers at the Port of Dover first intercepted the operation in the summer of 2022, halting two separate consignments destined for UK streets. The first lorry stop on July 3 uncovered 90 kilos of ketamine alongside 50 kilos of cocaine cleverly concealed inside boxes and a shopping bag.
Just six weeks later, authorities intercepted a second vehicle containing a highly complex, adapted fuel tank which held an additional 142 kilos of cocaine and 25 kilos of heroin.
Concealed drugs in a lorry. NCA
Forensic investigators discovered Burton’s unmistakable fingerprints and DNA on the seized drug consignments and the cleverly modified tank, immediately prompting the NCA to launch an international manhunt.
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Burton, who had relocated to live between the Netherlands and Spain in 2021, believed he could operate his illicit business with impunity from overseas. His evasion ended dramatically when Spanish police arrested him for unrelated drug dealing offences at Ibiza’s renowned Pacha nightclub in August 2023, where he attempted to use a false identity to avoid detection.
Burton later faced extradition to the United Kingdom, where he pleaded guilty to four counts of importing Class A and B drugs at Canterbury Crown Court.
Packages of drugs laid out on ground. Image: NCA
Key Roles and Impact of the Record Sentence on the Couple Jailed for Drug Importation
Eddie Burton was sentenced to 19 years imprisonment for his leading role in the multi-million-pound operation, while his former partner Sian Banks received a five-year sentence earlier this year.
Banks, who pleaded guilty to seven charges including money laundering and importing Class A drugs, performed a crucial logistical function for the organisation as the primary UK-based facilitator.
The NCA investigation uncovered compelling evidence that Banks travelled to mainland Europe monthly between June 2022 and October 2023 to meet with Burton and assist his criminal activities.
Furthermore, phone evidence explicitly detailed her personal involvement in smuggling cocaine and ketamine into the UK in her luggage on two separate trips back from Amsterdam.
Investigators also found chilling text messages exchanged two days after the first lorry interception, which suggested Banks expressed worry that her fingerprints were on the bags of ketamine. Burton carelessly dismissed her concern, asserting she had “never been nicked or had fiye prints took anyway so doesn’t matter,” demonstrating a profound confidence in their ability to evade justice.
This significant sentence delivers a powerful message regarding the National Crime Agency’s relentless pursuit of high-level drug traffickers attempting to exploit the UK market from abroad.
NCA Senior Investigating Officer John Turner affirmed that the seized drugs, had they reached their final destination, would have inflicted “a destructive impact on our communities, fuelling violence and exploiting vulnerable people throughout the supply chain.”
The NCA continues its dedication to dismantling serious organised crime networks across borders, ensuring justice is served for those undermining UK security.
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