Customs man 'key to drugs ring'

A Customs officer used his position to usher a cocaine-smuggling gang through Gatwick Airport in return for a series of pay-offs, a court heard.

Richard Riley, 53, of Dulwich, south-east London, used the £125,000 to fund a lavish lifestyle.

He passed on confidential information, arranged drug runs from the Caribbean and ushered couriers with suitcases full of cocaine through Customs.

Riley admitted conspiracy to smuggle drugs and money laundering.

His wife Marjorie, 51, who helped launder the money, has also admitted her part in the operation.

'Wholesale operation'

Having Riley on side meant the smuggling became a "wholesale operation rather than one of small-scale swallowers and the like," prosecutor Oliver Sells QC told Southwark Crown Court.

Couriers were so confident they did not even bother to hide the cocaine inside clothes, but instead packed the suitcases "to the brim".

But Riley's colleagues grew suspicious and a surveillance operation began.

On 1 July 2004 he was videoed guiding two smugglers, Stephen Abrahamson, 29, and Kelly Little, 24, through the "green channel" at Gatwick.

The suitcases they were carrying had the zips superglued shut - they contained 31.6kg of cocaine - with an estimated value of £2.4m.

His presence there enabled the couriers to have complete protection Oliver Sells QC prosecuting

Mr Sells said the gang had smuggled "very substantial quantities" of cocaine into Britain.

Riley was "absolutely central" to the operation, he said.

But he said Riley was not just a consultant but was central in arranging the smuggling.

In court for the two-day sentencing hearing with the Rileys were Abrahamson and Little, from Ponders End, Middlesex; Harline Young, 41, of Northolt, Middlesex; Steven Dixon, 35, of Dollis Hill, London; and Peter Crosdale, 46, Edgware, London.

They variously admit three counts of conspiracy to smuggle cocaine, one charge of smuggling and two of money laundering.