Drug gang led by kingpin who ran underworld operation from prison jailed for 71 years

A drugs kingpin who ran his international coke smuggling empire from prison while serving 18 years has been jailed along with other members of his gang.

Darryl Tawiah, 42 was recorded from prison arranging deals of 50 kilos of coke a week from a contact in Holland as well as heroin and the date rape drug GHB.

But Tawiah and his gang on the outside were jailed for 71 years, with Tawiah getting 25.

Four of the group members were sentenced collectively to 70 years on Wednesday, while a fifth person, Rosemond Agyemang, was previously jailed for a year for her role in the operation.

A sixth person is still wanted by the National Crime Agency in connection with the group’s activities.

Tawiah was already locked up for 18 years for supplying drugs and guns when he was arrested and charged by National Crime Agency officers last year.

Tawiah was recorded speaking to supplier

He used phones - which are banned behind bars- to contact a Dutch-based cocaine dealer with a criminal record for smuggling into Britain.

After he was released early, the drugs trafficker was deported back to the Netherlands and became subject to a separate Dutch investigation.

Conversations between the pair, which were later captured by cops, showed Tawiah was sourcing Class A drugs wholesale and arranging for them to be distributed and sold.

Tawiah’s drugs gang worked with people in both Britain and the Netherlands and is believed to have been responsible for smuggling at least two tonnes of Class A drugs into Britain to be sold in London and the South East.

In one conversation the Dutch supplier told Tawiah “I want you to move 50 kilos a week, don’t talk to me about one”, to which Tawiah replied, “No problem bro…now that it is good, everybody is calling…..I need to get more money in…”.

Tawiah was also found talking about buying cocaine at bulk prices and selling “coffee”, which is slang for heroin, when he left prison.

He also asked the supplier if he had ever heard of “2C”, slang for “date rape” drug GHB which was used by serial killer Stephen Port, because “everybody’s asking for it in the West End, Knightsbridge, Mayfair, Chelsea…”.

Tawiah controlled people on the outside so he could continue the drugs operation in prison.

Courier arrested outside station with thousands in cash

Steven Johnson, 37, took delivery of the drugs on Tawiah’s instructions and distributed them across London.

Rosemond Agyemang, 59, was a courier handling the cash side of the operation, and helped to launder it through bank accounts.

She also made cash payments to the Dutch supplier’s people in the UK.

She was arrested outside Oval tube station in London in July 2019 and was found to be carrying thousands in cash at the time.

When she was arrested she was on her way to meet Dorian Vaciulis, 34, who was working for the Dutch supplier and responsible for collecting both cash and drugs.

He was in regular contact with Ali Reza Shokrolahi, 41, a lorry driver.

Shokrolahi, who was living in Roehampton, is alleged to have been linked to at least 30 kilograms of cocaine seized at the UK border. He remains wanted by the NCA.

Tawiah, Vaciulis, Johnson, Agyemang and other alleged co-conspirators were arrested in March last year and were charged with various offences relating to Class A drugs and money laundering.

As the investigation continued, another man was identified and arrested for his links to the group.

Faisal Guled, 34, a Dutch national living in London, worked for the Dutch supplier and was operating a county line selling drugs across London and Northampton.

At Wood Green Crown Court, Tawiah, Johnson, Vaciulis and Guled were sentenced collectively to 70 years behind bars after they admitted drug offences.

Vaciulis, from Feltham in West London, admitted conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and was jailed for 18 years.

Johnson, from Roehampton in South West London, admitted possession of heroin and cocaine with intent to supply and was jailed for 16 years.

Guled, who was living in Camden in North London, admitted conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and was jailed for 11 years.

Agyemang, from Peckham in South London, was handed a one year jail term at the same court last year for one count of money laundering.

Investigation ‘took apart’ criminal enterprise

Jason Hulme, Operations Manager at the NCA, said: “This three-year investigation took apart an established criminal enterprise which had imported tonnes of cocaine to the UK, where its trade fuels addiction, violence and exploitation.

“Tawiah operated a network outside that did his dirty work for him, with all taking a slice of the profits.

“Thanks to the diligence of our officers and partners, the Dutch police and Criminal Assets Bureau in Dublin, we secured today’s convictions and hope any would-be drug traffickers are reminded of our continued pursuit of serious and organised criminals.”

He made an appeal for anyone with information about Shokrolahi to come forward, saying: “We would appeal to anyone who thinks they may have information on the whereabouts of Ali Reza (sometimes spelt Raza) Shokrolahi to contact the NCA directly on 0370 496 7622 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”