Two people have been jailed for more than 24 years after Metropolitan Police specialist crime officers seized drugs with an estimated street value of £25 million in Acton and Chiswick.
Luke Orlando Skeete, 25, of Evergreen Drive, West Drayton, was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment at Isleworth Crown Court on 24 July 2023 for his role while Gabriella Anderson, 27, of Hercies Road, Uxbridge, was previously sentenced to six years and nine months’ imprisonment at Harrow Crown Court on Monday, 20 March for possession with intention to supply drugs.
PC Dave Selwood, from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command said: “Skeete and Anderson thought that by using hire vehicles and minicabs they could move, with impunity, a significant amount of drugs into London for their own financial gain. Drugs as a whole but especially on this scale, are inextricably linked to violence and other crimes that cause misery for the people of London. The meticulous investigative work carried out by my team shows our commitment to taking these controlled substances off London’s streets.
“We hope that this result sends a clear message to those involved in illicit activities that the Met does not welcome this kind of enterprise in London, and our Specialist Crime officers will work determinedly to catch individuals such as this.”
Last year, on 21 July 2022, police stopped a hire car heading into London and as a result they found a large black holdall in the boot of the vehicle that contained 25 kilograms of high purity cocaine. Anderson and the driver were both arrested and charged with possession with intention to supply on 22 July 2022. The driver was found not guilty at Harrow Crown Court on 1 March 2023.
As a result of the investigation into Anderson, officers were able to identify that Luke Skeete met with Anderson on the day the car was stopped and supplied her with the holdall containing the drugs.
On 20 October 2022 Skeete was seen to use a hire van and was subsequently stopped by officers in the Richmond area of South West London. A search of the van found three kilograms of cocaine in the front passenger floor and five kilograms in the rear.
Skeete was arrested.
Officers then searched a storage unit leased by Skeete in Acton and discovered 123 kilograms of high purity cocaine.
Further enquiries revealed another self-storage location in the Richmond area where police found 244 kilograms of ketamine and 11 kilograms of a hybrid drug mixture of cocaine and ketamine being stored.
Skeete was charged on 21 October 2022 with possession with intent to supply drugs.
On 3 March 2023 at Isleworth Crown Court he plead guilty to:
- Possession with intent to supply Class A – 123 kilograms Cocaine
- Possession with intent to supply Class A – 8 kilograms Cocaine
- Possession with intent to supply Class B – 255 kilograms Ketamine
- Supply Cocaine
- Disqualified driving
Skeete also pleaded guilty on 25 May 2023 at Isleworth Crown Court to multiple fraud offences he committed whilst working for Audi UK in 2020. Skeete defrauded a large number of customers, some through their Motability Scheme, to a total of £127,029.
He was sentenced on Monday, 24 July to two years and four months’ imprisonment which is to run concurrently with the sentence for the drugs offences.
Detective Sergeant Reda Imane, who led the fraud investigation, said: “Fraud is far from a victimless offence, and the repercussions for the numerous victims involved in this situation extend beyond mere financial loss. The emotional toll has been immense, leading to severe distress and devastation for those affected. Without Audi’s goodwill gesture, these victims would have been deprived of their life savings.
“The outcome demonstrates the unwavering commitment of Met in relentlessly pursuing individuals like Skeete who engage in fraudulent activities. Our determination remains resolute in ensuring that such offenders are held accountable and brought to justice.”
Skeete was also sentenced to 12 weeks in custody for driving whilst disqualified and banned from driving for 12 months and given six penalty points on his licence upon his release.
