Criminals from two organised crime groups have been jailed over an elaborate plot to smuggle large amounts of cocaine through a UK airport, following a National Crime Agency investigation.

Albanians Elton Hallaci, 32, (right) and Artur Iseberi, 27, were part of one crime group collecting the Class A drug from Manchester Airport while British nationals Dale Hosker, 49, and Dale Creen, 35, were from another crime group doing the same thing.

The four drugs traffickers collected the drug from American couriers and then sold it on to other criminals across the country.

Last year, seven US citizens who acted as the couriers, were jailed for collecting the cocaine at Manchester Airport and transferring it to Hallaci and Iseberi, of Liverpool, and Hosker and Creen, of Salford.

The Americans flew into Manchester from the United States without any luggage and waited until bags arrived from Cancun, Mexico.

On 11 May 2024, eight suitcases arrived at the airport and the couriers followed text message instructions from a US offender called 'Nate' to collect specific suitcases containing hundreds of kilograms of cocaine before transferring it to the four men who were waiting at nearby locations.

Couriers collected them from the carousels, wheeled them outside and caught taxis to a nearby hotel where they passed five of them to Hallaci and Iserberi, and two were passed to Hosker.

But one of the American couriers left a case behind which Border Force officers opened and discovered 20 one-kilogram blocks of cocaine. The NCA investigation showed that on that day, the Albanians collected 100kg of cocaine and Hosker collected 40kg.

A few weeks later on 31 May, 300kg of high purity cocaine with a street value of around £24m was smuggled into Manchester Airport in 12 suitcases.

Seven couriers were sent to collect them but only one woman was successful and was directed to an address in Bury to hand over the drugs to Creen and Hosker. The other suitcases were seized, each containing between 22 and 24 blocks of cocaine and a tracking device.

Hallaci, Iseberi, Hosker and Creen were arrested on 17 June 2025 by NCA officers.

Evidence against them was damning.

Inside Hallaci's home, officers found keys to a Jaguar car parked outside.

It had a professionally fitted hidden compartment between the rear seats and the boot used for smuggling drugs.

Officers also discovered a treasure trove of notepads with detailed ledgers of cocaine importations. They featured references to handovers that both Hallaci and Iseberi were involved in on 11 May.

The notebooks, which were written in Albanian and contained the fingerprints of Hallaci and Iseberi, indicated how the drugs would be divvied up with 30kg going to Bradford, 35kg going to London, 8kg to Birmingham.

As part of the investigation, NCA investigators also seized two other Jaguar cars belonging to the Albanian OCG which were fitted with after-market hides.

The offenders were also captured on CCTV at Manchester Airport on the days of the importations.

And one courier even took a photograph of Hosker over his shoulder following the cocaine handover on 11 May. On the day the offenders were arrested, Iserberi tried to escape along the roof of his home, and in Creen's bedroom officers found an axe, a knife and a machete.

Hallaci, Iseberi and Hosker pleaded guilty to smuggling cocaine and possession of cocaine with intent to supply.

Creen was convicted by a jury of possession of cocaine with intent to supply but acquitted of smuggling cocaine.

Today (Friday 15 May), at Bolton Crown Court, three of the men were sentenced. Hallaci to 21 years and seven months in jail; Iseberi to 18 years; and Creen to 11 years.

Hosker was not sentenced and will next appear at the court on Monday 1 June.

Cat McHugh, NCA Branch Commander, said: "The NCA works with partners at home and abroad to protect the public from the threat of Class A drugs.

"Drug smuggling is not a victimless crime.

"There is a trail of misery and harm from source countries in South America to the streets of our towns and cities.

"The Class A drugs trade is inextricably bound up with extreme violence which can have devastating consequences, we have seen entirely innocent victims caught in the cross-fire of feuding drugs gangs.

"That doesn't bother offenders like these who only care about money."

15 May 2026