NCA investigation reveals organised crime groups smuggled hundreds of kilos of Mexican cocaine via Manchester Airport, leading to multiple convictions.
Criminals from two organised crime groups have been convicted over an elaborate plot to fly large amounts of cocaine into a UK airport, following a National Crime Agency investigation.
Offenders based in America and Mexico masterminded conspiracies to move the Class A drug on flights from Cancun to Manchester Airport.
Last year, seven US citizens who acted as couriers, were jailed for collecting the cocaine at Manchester Airport and passing it on to UK-based offenders who were waiting for it.
The Americans flew into Manchester from the United States without any luggage and waited until bags arrived on flights from Cancun.
They followed text message instructions from a US organiser called ‘Nate’ to collect specific suitcases containing hundreds of kilograms of cocaine before transferring the cases to waiting accomplices at nearby locations, who were also in touch with Nate.
Three men responsible for plots to recover the cocaine and sell it on across the UK admitted the offences at Bolton Crown Court earlier this month – and today (Tuesday) a fourth was convicted by a jury.
Albanians Elton Hallaci, 32, and Artur Iseberi, 27, both of Liverpool, were members of one OCG involved in the scheme to move the cocaine on.
And Dale Hosker, 49, of Bury, and Dale Creen, 34, of Salford, belonged to a second OCG that was also involved in collecting the cocaine from the American couriers and distributing it across the country.
On 11 May 2024, eight suitcases arrived at Manchester Airport from Cancun and Barbados.
Couriers collected them from the carousels, wheeled them outside and caught taxis to a nearby hotel where they passed five of them to Hallaci and Iseberi, and two were passed to Hosker.
But one of the American couriers left a case behind which Border Force officers opened and discovered 20 one-kilogram blocks of cocaine. The NCA investigation showed that on that day, the Albanians collected 100kg of cocaine.
A few weeks later on 31 May, 300kg of high purity cocaine with a street value of around £24m was smuggled into Manchester Airport in 12 suitcases.
Seven couriers were sent to collect them but only one woman was successful and was directed to an address in Bury to hand over the drugs to Creen and Hosker. The other suitcases were seized, each containing between 22 and 24 blocks of cocaine and a tracking device.
Hallaci, Iseberi, Hosker and Creen were arrested on 17 June 2025 by NCA officers.
Evidence against them was damning. Inside Hallaci’s home, officers found keys to a Jaguar car parked outside. It had a professionally fitted hidden compartment between the rear seats and the boot used for smuggling drugs.
Officers also discovered a treasure trove of notepads with detailed ledgers of cocaine importations. They featured references to handovers that both Hallaci and Iseberi were involved in on 11 May.
The notebooks, which were written in Albanian and contained the fingerprints of Hallaci and Iseberi, indicated how the drugs would be divvied up with 30kg going to Bradford, 35kg going to London, 8kg to Birmingham.
As part of the investigation, NCA investigators also seized two other Jaguar cars belonging to the Albanian OCG which were fitted with after-market hides.
The offenders were also captured on CCTV at Manchester Airport on the days of the importations.
And one courier even took a photograph of Hosker over his shoulder following a cocaine handover. On the day the offenders were arrested, Iseberi tried to escape along the roof of his home, and in Creen’s bedroom officers found an axe, a knife and a machete.
On the eve of their trial earlier this month, Hallaci, Iseberi and Hosker pleaded guilty to smuggling cocaine and possession of cocaine with intent to supply.
Creen was convicted of possession of cocaine with intent to supply but acquitted of smuggling cocaine.
Cat McHugh, NCA Branch Commander, said: “These offenders were part of crime groups that were moving significant amounts of cocaine across the country, wreaking harm to our communities and wider society.
“Like other hardened criminals, their thirst for money and riches drove them, but an excellent, tenacious NCA team conducted a painstaking investigation involving thousands of hours of work.
“The NCA continues to work with partners at home and abroad to combat the threat of Class A drugs.”
The men will be sentenced on a date to be confirmed.
Reports are sourced from official documents, law-enforcement updates, and credible investigations.
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