(WNY News Now) – Five members of an international drug syndicate have been convicted for smuggling 2.3 tonnes of cocaine worth £184 million, concealed in banana shipments from Colombia, into the UK.

In one of the largest cocaine seizures in UK history, five men have been convicted for attempting to smuggle £184 million worth of the drug into the country, hidden inside banana crates. The group, consisting of Petko Zhutev, Gjergji Diko, Bruno Kuci, Olsi Ebeja, and Erik Muci, were taken down by a joint investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA) and the Metropolitan Police’s Organised Crime Partnership (OCP).

The operation unfolded in February 2021 when Border Force officers intercepted the cocaine-laden cargo ship arriving at Portsmouth International Port from Turbo, Colombia. The consignment, falsely declared as bananas, was flagged by OCP intelligence. Officers removed the cocaine from the shipment and tracked its destination to Agro Food Ltd in North London, a company taken over by Zhutev as a front for the smuggling operation.

Upon arrival, armed officers raided the premises and arrested the group. Inside, they discovered scattered banana boxes, makeshift cardboard cash boxes, and nine empty suitcases intended for transporting the drugs. They also found a firearm and ammunition hidden in the ceiling, along with mobile devices used to coordinate the trafficking.

The investigation revealed Muci as the key orchestrator of the drug importation, while Ebeja acted as the lookout and driver. Zhutev, Kuci, and Diko managed the reception and distribution of the drugs.

John Coles, Head of Specialist Operations at the NCA, stated, “This seizure is a testament to our commitment to disrupt high-level organised crime and prevent millions of drug deals on UK streets.”

Diko and Kuci previously pleaded guilty to various drug and firearms charges, while Zhutev changed his plea to guilty during a re-trial. Muci and Ebeja were convicted on October 10, 2024. Sentencing for all five is pending.