Five men jailed after £1.4M ketamine haul was smuggled from Amsterdam to Suffolk on a fishing boat in a NCA-led operation.
United Kingdom, April 23, 2026 – Five men have been sentenced following a National Crime Agency (NCA) investigation into a large-scale drug smuggling operation that brought ketamine into the UK via a fishing vessel travelling from the Netherlands.
The group used a fishing boat, the “Girl Carole,” to transport drugs from Amsterdam to the Suffolk coast, where they were intercepted during a coordinated surveillance operation by the NCA.
Individuals Charged and or Implicated
- Richard Saul (43, Woodbridge) Identified as the ringleader, coordinating logistics and overseeing the smuggling operation
- Sean Seymour (60, Saxmundham) Involved in coordinating the coastal pickup of the shipment
- Domenic Labella (21, Ipswich) Assisted in collecting and transporting drug packages from the vessel
- Nathan Wellard (55, Thetford) Crew member onboard the vessel during importation
- Alexander Sampson-Chambers (36, Welling) Assisted in the maritime transport operation
According to the NCA, officers observed suspicious activity on 17 February 2024, when the fishing vessel entered the River Deben in Suffolk in the early hours of the morning. Surveillance teams tracked Sean Seymour as he met the boat and drove to an isolated jetty in Ramsholt, where large boxes were transferred from the vessel.
The suspects then transported the packages to an industrial storage unit in Rendlesham. Shortly afterward, officers moved in and arrested Seymour and Labella, recovering the shipment.
A search of the storage facility uncovered approximately 200 kilograms of ketamine and additional cannabis resin, with an estimated street value of £1.4 million.
Further arrests were made when maritime officers intercepted the fishing vessel and detained Saul, Wellard, and Sampson-Chambers onboard.
Investigators also recovered a deactivated firearm, silver bars, and detailed handwritten logs believed to contain operational notes, coordinates, and logistics planning for the smuggling route.
The NCA said the group believed using a fishing vessel and operating at night would help them evade detection, but their movements were closely monitored throughout the operation.
All five defendants pleaded guilty to drug trafficking-related offences and were sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court.
Authorities described the case as a clear example of how organised crime groups continue to exploit maritime routes and small ports to move large quantities of Class B drugs into the UK.
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Reports are sourced from official documents, law-enforcement updates, and credible investigations.
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