A NORTHFIELD man has been jailed for six years for his involvement in the supply of millions of pounds worth of cocaine in the West Midlands.
James Piotrowski, 40, of Trescott Road, Birmingham was sentenced to six years in prison after being arrested with 10 kilos of cocaine in a van.
A major investigation by regional organised crime unit (ROCU) officers uncovered Piotrowski and three others transporting hundreds of kilos of cocaine from London and Bedfordshire for distribution in the Midlands.
On November 10 2022, a van hired by the group was stopped by officers on the M6, where 130 kilos of cocaine was in the back.
The driver, Martin Brown, 40, of Foster Road, Coventry was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs. He was later sentenced to 13 years and seven months in prison.
The cocaine in the van was in green refuse sacks and the blocks themselves stamped with the Latin phrase ‘alea iacta est’ or ‘the die is cast’.
The arrest of Brown led officers to Piotrowski, who was arrested on the same day with 10 kilos of cocaine found in his van.
The cocaine found was identical to that found in Brown’s van, with the same Latin words stamped on the packaging.
Mark Cheadle, 57, of Ridgmont, Bedfordshire and Paul Patterson, 43, of Biggleswade, Bedforshire were later arrested after they were identified as the people who supplied the drugs to Brown and Piotrowski.
Cheadle was sentenced to 15 years and two months in prison and Patterson was jailed for 12 years and nine months.
Following an extensive investigation, all four defendants were charged and jailed on August 14.
Cheadle, Patterson and Brown were charged with conspiracy to supply class A drugs, while Piotrowski was charged with being concerned in the supply of class As.
