UK drugs baron jailed for 30 years

Brian Brendan Wright, 60, was the criminal mastermind behind the Wright Organisation, overseeing the shipment of tonnes of cocaine worth hundreds of millions of pounds from South America using luxury yachts.

His conviction on Monday of conspiracy to evade prohibition on the importation of a controlled drug and conspiracy to supply drugs, marked the complete dismantling of his gang.

Judge Peter Moss sitting at Woolwich Crown Court told Wright: "You were a master criminal; manipulative, influential and powerful.

"I accept that you will be a very much older man when you are entitled to be released. I accept too...the possibility that you may not live that long.

"Nevertheless, cocaine abuse continues to cause unquantifiable misery to tens of thousands of victims of other crimes committed by those using or seeking to use [it].

"Those who import and distribute it call upon themselves lengthy terms of imprisonment.

"You played for the very highest stakes and won, for a number of years, a luxury lifestyle.

"You knew the consequences of detection and conviction."

The judge said he took into account Wright's age and health and handed him 30 years on each of the two counts, to run concurrently.