Sentences increased for Kent drug dealers
Four men have been jailed for longer after the Solicitor General referred their original sentences to the Court of Appeal
A gang of drug dealers have had their prison terms increased after the Solicitor General, the Rt Hon Lucy Frazer QC MP, referred their original sentences to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.
Luke Coribel, David Adeniji, Kyle Hills and Quang Viet Pham were part of an operation to supply cocaine and launder the proceeds.
Coribel stored the drugs and money, while Adeniji, Pham and Hills were runners who delivered the drugs and collected the money. During the course of the operation they delivered around 786 kg of cocaine with a wholesale value of around £27.5m, and were party to an arrangement to launder that money. The gang used Encrochat devices to disguise their communications and vehicles with concealed compartments to transfer the drugs and money undetected.
On 5 February all 4 offenders were convicted of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and money laundering at Woolwich Crown Court. On 30 April the Court of Appeal found their original sentences to be too low.
Coribel and Adeniji were originally sentenced to 8 years and 3 months’ imprisonment. The Court of Appeal increased both of their sentences to 13 years imprisonment.
Hills was originally sentenced to 7 years and 6 months’ imprisonment; his sentence was increased to 11 years imprisonment.
Pham was originally sentenced to 7 years and 2 months’ imprisonment; his sentence was increased to 12 years imprisonment.
Speaking after the hearing, the Solicitor General said:
Drugs fuel gang violence and destroy lives. Crimes of this nature must be met with the full force of the law. It is only right that the Court has increased their sentences today.