A Liverpool man has been sentenced to 19 years in prison for his role in a large-scale drug smuggling operation that attempted to import £20 million worth of cocaine, heroin, and ketamine into the UK. Eddie Burton, 23, was the final member of a European-wide criminal group to be sentenced following an investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA).
His former partner, Sian Banks, also from Liverpool, was previously jailed for five years for her involvement. The operation was uncovered after Border Force officers intercepted two lorries at the Port of Dover in 2022, finding over 300kg of drugs concealed within the vehicles.
Key Takeaways
- Eddie Burton, 23, of Liverpool, was sentenced to 19 years in prison for importing Class A and B drugs.
- His ex-partner, Sian Banks, received a five-year sentence for her role, which included money laundering.
- The pair were part of a plot to smuggle drugs worth an estimated £20 million into the UK.
- Over 300kg of cocaine, heroin, and ketamine were seized from two lorries at the Port of Dover in 2022.
- Burton was arrested in Ibiza in 2023 after a manhunt by the National Crime Agency.
The £20 Million Smuggling Operation
The National Crime Agency's investigation focused on two significant drug seizures at the Port of Dover during the summer of 2022. These interceptions exposed a sophisticated international smuggling route designed to flood UK streets with vast quantities of illegal substances.
According to the NCA, the total weight of the drugs seized from both vehicles was 307 kilograms. The street value of this combined haul was estimated to be approximately £20 million, highlighting the scale of the criminal enterprise.
First Seizure at Dover
The operation began to unravel on July 3, 2022. Border Force officers conducted a search on a lorry that had just arrived in Dover. Inside, they discovered a substantial quantity of narcotics hidden within boxes and a Lidl shopping bag.
The consignment consisted of 90 kilograms of ketamine and 50 kilograms of cocaine. The driver of the vehicle, a Latvian national named Maris Fridvalds, was arrested at the scene. He was later sentenced in March 2023 to 14 years in prison for his part in the conspiracy.
Details of the First Seizure
- Date: July 3, 2022
- Location: Port of Dover
- Drugs Found: 90kg of Ketamine, 50kg of Cocaine
- Total Weight: 140kg
- Method: Concealed in boxes and a shopping bag inside a lorry.
Second Lorry Intercepted
Just over a month later, on August 12, 2022, a second lorry connected to the same criminal network was intercepted by authorities at Dover. This vehicle contained an even larger quantity of Class A drugs.
Investigators found 142 kilograms of cocaine and 25 kilograms of heroin hidden in a specially adapted fuel tank. This sophisticated concealment method demonstrated the professional nature of the smuggling gang. Forensic analysis of this second seizure would prove crucial in linking the operation directly to Eddie Burton.
Identifying the Key Players
While the lorry driver was apprehended early on, the NCA's investigation continued to identify the masterminds behind the multi-million-pound plot. Forensic evidence and digital communications soon pointed towards Eddie Burton and Sian Banks as central figures.
Forensic Evidence Links Burton to Shipments
Forensics teams conducted a thorough examination of both drug consignments. According to the NCA, Eddie Burton's fingerprints and DNA were discovered on the packaging of the drugs seized in both July and August.
Crucially, his forensic markers were also found on the modified fuel tank used to hide the heroin and cocaine in the second lorry. This physical evidence provided an undeniable link between Burton and the importation attempts, making him a primary target for investigators.
The Role of Forensic Science
In complex criminal investigations, forensic evidence like DNA and fingerprints is often the key to securing convictions. Unlike circumstantial evidence, it provides a direct physical link between a suspect and a crime scene or, in this case, the illegal goods. The discovery of Burton's DNA on multiple items from two separate seizures was a critical breakthrough for the National Crime Agency.
Manhunt and Arrest in Ibiza
Following the seizures, Burton became the subject of a manhunt. Investigators established that he had moved from the UK in early 2021 and was living a transient lifestyle between the Netherlands and Spain to coordinate the drug shipments.
In August 2023, Burton was arrested at a nightclub in Ibiza. At the time, he was being detained for unrelated drug dealing offences and was using a false name in an attempt to evade capture. The NCA's Joint International Crime Centre worked with Spanish authorities to secure his extradition back to the UK to face charges.
The Role of Sian Banks
While Burton organised the supply from mainland Europe, his former partner Sian Banks played an integral part in the operation from the UK and abroad. She was described by police as a key facilitator in the criminal network.
Travel and Communication
NCA investigators found evidence that Banks travelled regularly to meet Burton in both the Netherlands and Spain. These trips, which occurred on a near-monthly basis between 2022 and 2023, were not social visits but were central to the logistics of the drug smuggling operation.
Her involvement in preparing the shipments was confirmed through a series of incriminating text messages recovered by police. These messages were exchanged with Burton just two days after the first lorry was stopped in Dover.
"You've never been nicked or had ye prints took anyway so doesn't matter."
Eddie Burton, in a text message to Sian Banks
The message exchange revealed that Banks had flown to the Netherlands in late June 2022 and had physically helped Burton prepare the first shipment. On July 5, she texted him in a panic, stating that her fingerprints were on the bags of ketamine. Burton's dismissive reply, quoted above, showed his confidence that she would not be identified, as she had no prior criminal record.
Charges and Sentencing
Sian Banks was first arrested in December 2023. She ultimately admitted to seven charges, which included importing Class A drugs and money laundering. For her role, she was sentenced to five years in prison earlier this year.
Eddie Burton pleaded guilty at Canterbury Crown Court to four counts of importing Class A and B drugs. On Friday, he was handed a sentence of 19 years' imprisonment, bringing the investigation to a close.