Fugitive crime boss Richard Wakeling – on the run for five years – has been arrested in Thailand.
Wakeling, 55, was returned to the United Kingdom and promptly jailed for 11 years.
He had skipped the country on the eve of his trial.
In his absence he was found guilty of trying to import £8 million worth of amphetamine and sentenced to 11 years in prison.
Richard Wakeling, 55, from Brentwood, Essex, was escorted back to Heathrow by specialist officers from the Joint International Crime Centre’s extradition unit.
In February 2023 Officers from the Royal Thai Police arrested Wakeling at a Bangkok garage as he went to collect his car after repair.
At the time of his arrest, he was in possession of a passport in another identity.
Jacque Beer, NCA regional head of investigations said:
“Richard Wakeling thought he could avoid facing justice by leaving the UK.
“But the hard work of NCA officers – both here in the UK and overseas – and that of our international partners, has put him behind bars for a lengthy prison sentence.
“This case highlights the NCA’s global reach, and that we will do everything we can to ensure those who commit serious and organised crime are held accountable for their actions, no matter how long it takes or how far they flee”.
The NCA began its investigation into Wakeling’s organised crime group after Border Force colleagues stopped a truck boarding a Channel Tunnel train on 9 April 2016.
The truck held plastic drums carrying the drugs.
The driver was transporting furniture from Italy, but stopped at Ternat in Belgium where phone evidence showed he was directed to collect the drugs.
The entire importation was set up by Wakeling, who was in contact with drug suppliers in the Netherlands and liaised with two other UK offenders to arrange the journey.
Officers proved the crime group had organised six other importations before the 2016 seizure.