A British national was convicted in the U.S. for his role in an international drug trafficking conspiracy involving fentanyl.
A British national faces a potential life sentence after being convicted by a jury in the Southern District of Georgia for his role in an international drug trafficking conspiracy involving fentanyl analogues and other novel controlled substances sold on the dark web marketplace known as “Dream Market.” The illegal importation and distribution of these substances resulted in the deaths of two United States Navy sailors.
Paul Anthony Nicholls, 47, of Great Britain, was found guilty following a four-day jury trial of one count of Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substances Resulting in Death and one count of Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances Resulting in Death. Upon sentencing by the Honorable Lisa Godbey Wood, United States District Judge, Nicholls faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, and substantial financial penalties. There is no parole in the federal system.
“This conviction was achieved through the hard work and cooperation of our law enforcement officers and Canadian law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Meg Heap. “Two U.S. Navy sailors lost their lives because of Nicholls’ distribution of lethal drugs. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute those who bring harm to our communities.”
According to court documents and trial testimony, Nicholls conspired with at least one other individual to operate a drug trafficking organization known as “Canada1” on the now-defunct dark web marketplace “Dream Market.” The organization advertised and sold synthetic opioids, including U-47700 and the fentanyl analogue methoxy acetyl fentanyl, and claimed it could ship the drugs worldwide from Vancouver, British Columbia.
Investigators determined that Nicholls regularly coordinated with his co-conspirator and mailed numerous packages through Canada Post using a shell company named “East Van ECO Tours.” After weeks of surveillance, law enforcement intercepted more than 40 packages bearing that company’s logo, all of which contained dangerous fentanyl analogues in powder and nasal spray form.
Following confirmation that the packages contained controlled substances, authorities executed search warrants at Nicholls’ residence and vehicle, as well as at the residence and vehicle of his co-conspirator. Expert testimony at trial estimated the value of the fentanyl analogues recovered from the co-conspirator’s home at approximately $24 million and indicated the quantity seized was sufficient to kill more than 375,000 people.
Investigators also recovered receipts and tracking information for thousands of packages shipped worldwide. Among them were two packages delivered to Kingsland, Georgia, in October 2017. After receiving the packages, U.S. Navy submariners B.T.J. and T.L.B. consumed the contents and died from opioid overdoses approximately four days apart at T.L.B.’s residence.
“This conviction reflects the FDA’s commitment to holding accountable those who traffic in illicit narcotics, including fentanyl and its analogues,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Juan Berrios of the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Miami Field Office. “No matter where these individuals operate, we will work with our partners to bring them to justice.”
Additional statements from the United States Postal Inspection Service, NCIS, DEA, GBI, and local law enforcement emphasized the deadly consequences of synthetic opioid trafficking and the importance of coordinated international enforcement efforts.
Nicholls’ co-conspirator, not named in this release, has not yet been tried. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Canada Post, Canadian Border Services Agency, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Kingsland Police Department, and Surrey Police Department, with assistance from Health Canada and the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley R. Thompson and Timothy P. Dean, along with former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank M. Pennington II and E. Greg Gilluly Jr.
Reports are sourced from official documents, law-enforcement updates, and credible investigations.
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