11/09/2009

Man Jailed In £10m Heroin Case

A man has been jailed for 12 years for possession with intent to supply almost £10 million of heroin.

Kyle Johnson, 24, a barber, from Cowbridge Rd West, pleaded guilty yesterday and was sentenced at Wood Green Crown Court to 12 years in prison.

Johnson was arrested by the Met's Central Task Force after a media appeal to trace his whereabouts for questioning. Johnson then voluntarily attended a north London police station on 30 June 2006 with his solicitor.

On 4 December 2008, detectives raided a three-bedroom house in Meath Road, Forrest Gate that was being used as a safe house to store the drugs. Police were able to evidence Johnson as the safe house keeper and courier, living at the rented address.

Inside the address, officers found four brown cardboard boxes stacked on top of a single bed in one of the side bedrooms. Split between the boxes were 597 envelopes stashed with a total of 149.35 kilos of heroin. The heroin was high grade with a purity of 60-65% and was packaged ready for distribution. The total heroin was valued at £9,956,000 (street value).

DI Colin Stephenson, from the Met's Central Task Force East, said: "This was one of the most significant drugs seizures by the Met last year, and has seriously disrupted a major criminal network planning to flood London with heroin over the Christmas period.

"The fact that Johnson handed himself in and pleaded guilty demonstrates the thoroughness of the investigation we conducted and the overwhelming evidence we obtained."

Calvin Markall, 20, of Menai Way, Rumney, Cardiff was sentenced on 17 June 2009 to 10 years in prison in relation to the same drugs seizure. He pleaded guilty on 28 April 2009 to supplying significant amounts of heroin throughout London prior to the seizure.

Markall was seen leaving and locking the property with a set of house keys. Officers stopped him in the street and subsequently arrested him on suspicion of possession with intent to supply class A drugs.

(GK/KMcA)

Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

29 May 2015
23 Charged With Drug Offences Following Raids
More than 20 people have been charged with drug offences following a number of raids carried out in London, Gravesend, Dover and Deal. A total of 23 people were arrested during twenty raids carried out over three days. The suspects, ranging in age from 17 to 52, have all been charged in connection with the supply of class A drugs.
08 June 2006
Sentence increased for baby rapist
A man who raped a 12-week-old baby girl has had his minimum jail term increased from six years to eight years by the Court of Appeal.
17 June 2009
£10m Heroin Seized In Drugs Bust
A man has been jailed for 10 years after police seized almost £10 million of heroin at a house in London, as police appeal for information on another man wanted in connection with the haul. Calvin Markall, 20, of Menai Way, Rumney, Cardiff pleaded guilty on 28 April to supplying significant amounts of heroin throughout London prior to the seizure.
08 December 2009
Family Jailed For Drugs Offences
Five men and one women - all members of the same London family - have been jailed for a total of 37 years for drug offences. All six appeared at Harrow Crown Court on December 4. On April 15, 100 Metropolitan Police officers executed search warrants at ten addresses in Brent.
16 May 2003
Blunket sets out plans to treat addicts
Guidance to advise specialist doctors when and how to prescribe heroin to the most entrenched drug users, will be published shortly, Home Secretary David Blunkett said today.