Two Indian-origin men, Anand Tripathi and Varun Bhardwaj, were sentenced to prison in the UK for smuggling cocaine, cannabis, and cigarettes. They were also sentenced for not paying import duties and VAT on 18.6 million cigarettes. The total drugs imported were 272.86 kg of cocaine and 2,503.36 kg of cannabis across four shipments. The estimated street value of the drugs was 28.9 million pounds. The scheme involved using their freight company as a cover to clear shipping containers and diverting them to a warehouse. The drugs were seized at different ports in the UK. Bhardwaj's home in Hounslow was searched and cannabis was found. Tripathi and Bhardwaj were convicted of multiple counts.
