A British man who fled to Spain has been sentenced for masterminding the supply of drugs and illegal firearms worth £3.75m.
Craig Bennett, 41, was arrested in Barcelona in July 2025 during a Policía Nacional operation supported by National Crime Agency International Liaison Officers.
The NCA launched an investigation into Bennett after he was identified as a user of Encrochat – an encrypted communications platform used by criminals to communicate anonymously with each other under aliases.
Encrochat was infiltrated by international law enforcement in 2020, allowing investigators to read millions of messages. Officers were able to use messages from March to June 2020 between Bennett and his crew to build a picture of their criminality.
Bennett masterminded a large-scale criminal operation which involved supplying Class A and B drugs, firearms, and money laundering.
He controlled the acquisition of significant quantities of cocaine, ketamine, cannabis and hash, as well as brokering handovers between suppliers and clients. Bennett exchanged passwords, locations, timings and vehicle details for the handovers, receiving a portion of the sale price as payment.
Using Encrochat to organise the gang’s movements, Bennett directed couriers Gerald Tohill, 60, from Berkshire, and Lucien Robinson, 38, from Wokingham to collect and distribute illicit cash and drugs on numerous occasions.
Lucien Robinson’s father, 75-year-old Peter Robinson from Berkshire, was also involved in hiding cash for the enterprise.
In total the organised crime group were linked to the supply of 91.8 kilos of drugs with a street value of £3.75m.
Evidence recovered from Bennett’s phone further revealed that he was involved in moving two firearms, ammunition and a component part; namely a silencer, proving lethal intent.
Following Bennett’s arrest, he was extradited to the UK in August 2025. The other defendants were summoned to court as part of the process.
Bennett, Peter Robinson and Lucien Robinson pleaded guilty to their offences at Reading Crown Court in late 2025 with Tohill later convicted at trial. Peter Robinson was sentenced on 1 June with the three other men sentenced today (21 July) at the same court. Collectively they received 28 years.
NCA Senior Investigating Officer John Turner, said: “Bennett was the linchpin of this conspiracy to bring harmful drugs into the UK as well as seeking access to potentially deadly weapons.
“He directed the movements of his co-conspirators, all of them benefiting from the damage they were inflicting to individuals in our communities.
“Criminals who used Encrochat believed they were beyond the reach of the law, but this case along with numerous others proves otherwise.
“The NCA along with partners at home and abroad will continue to track down serious offenders and protect the public from their criminality.”
21 July 2026
