Gang jailed after cocaine found hidden in books

A gang has been jailed for a total of 12 years for their part in exporting books to Australia with cocaine hidden inside.

Three men have been sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court after consignments of the Class A drug were dispatched from several sites across Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire. Troy Batchelor, 49, of Peterborough Road, Whittlesey, and Luke Mills, 46, of Lincoln Road, Peterborough both admitted evading the prohibition on exportation of cocaine.

James Kulesza, 46, of Warwick Road, Peterborough, pleaded guilty to participating in the criminal activities of an organised crime group. On Friday, Batchelor was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, while Mills received four years.

Kulesza was ordered to serve two years and one month. The Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU) said its actions, along with help from the Border Force, had prevented more than 12kg of Class A drugs from leaving the UK.

In a statement, it said it had determined consignments were being dispatched from several sites across Stamford in Lincolnshire and Peterborough in Cambridgeshire. Working with colleagues from Border Force, four suspicious shipments were then identified and confirmed as books with cocaine hidden inside.

Investigations revealed an additional three other parcels of drugs had reached Australia and were seized by customs. On 20 March 2025, Batchelor, Mills and Kulesza were arrested during raids, and searches recovered items including an extendable baton and a firearm.

Read more from Sky News:Man lured to beach and killedInquest hears of BGT dancer's deathTributes paid to Godfather actor Mobile phone data then led officers to an address in Whittlesey in Cambridgeshire, where a further 8.8kg of cocaine was discovered along with several Lonely Planet travel books, with tampered covers. Detective Sergeant James Paget of ERSOU's Regional Organised Crime Unit said the case involved "meticulous investigative work" to intercept consignments and "prevent a substantial quantity of cocaine from reaching Australia".

"While the individuals were convicted for their roles in exporting drugs, our wider investigation also identified links to drug importation activity, highlighting the broader criminal capabilities of this organised crime group," he added..