A well-organized gang of American drug couriers, recruited by cartel leaders, was intercepted at Manchester Airport while waiting for luggage containing £8 million worth of cocaine.
The group, consisting of five women and two men, had been promised between £3,000 and £4,000 each to collect 12 bags filled with over 300kg of the Class A drug. However, their elaborate plan unraveled when an airport security officer became suspicious of the rectangular-shaped blocks inside the suitcases, leading to an immediate alert to border officials.
Manchester Crown Court heard that the couriers, all U.S. nationals, were divided into teams and traveled on different flights to avoid detection. Brian Marealle, 32, and Laquesa Greer, 50, arrived from New York's JFK Airport, while Charles Mass, 29, and his girlfriend Brianna Hunt, 22, flew in from Orlando. Yulibeth Gonzalez, 26, Leandra Royer, 26, and Chloe Sandoval, 24, traveled from Los Angeles via Dusseldorf.
Three of the gang members were arrested at the airport, while four others were tracked to the DoubleTree Hilton Hotel nearby. Officers burst into one of the rooms to find Mass and Hunt naked in bed before taking them into custody.
Authorities revealed that a key orchestrator named 'Nate' and his associate 'Cruz' were responsible for recruiting the members, arranging travel, and communicating instructions via WhatsApp and Telegram. Royer was also involved in recruiting, convincing others by claiming the operation was "100% secure" and had never led to any arrests. Mass even recruited his girlfriend, Hunt, to join the scheme.
Previous smuggling attempts included a failed operation on May 11, when Mass flew from Barbados to Manchester with no luggage. A suitcase containing 20kg of cocaine was later found unclaimed. Another unsuccessful trip occurred on May 24, when Mass, Hunt, and Marealle flew from Cancun, but their expected cargo never arrived.
The gang's final attempt on May 31 was foiled when an airport worker at Terminal 2 baggage control noticed unusual contents in a suitcase. As more suspicious bags were flagged, Border Force officers moved in. The gang members had been instructed to hide in airport toilets before retrieving the cases, but their plan collapsed when officials intervened.
Sandoval successfully picked up a bag and delivered it to a location in Bury before returning to the Hilton. However, Gonzalez was caught before she could escape. Her last message to 'Nate' simply read: "I got caught."
As the operation unraveled, Marealle and Greer were apprehended at the luggage carousel, while Royer and Sandoval were later arrested at the Hilton. Mass and Hunt, caught in bed, had abandoned their original plan after sensing trouble.
All seven members were charged with attempting to smuggle Class A drugs. Six of them pleaded guilty, while Marealle was convicted after a trial. Sentences were as follows:
Brian Marealle – 13 years
Charles Mass & Leandra Royer – 11 years, 8 months
Yulibeth Gonzalez – 9 years
Brianna Hunt – 7 years, 6 months
Laquesa Greer – 8 years, 6 months
Chloe Sandoval – awaiting sentencing on February 14
Once released, all will face automatic deportation to the U.S.
Judge Tom Gilbart described the smuggling attempt as "highly sophisticated," emphasizing that each defendant knowingly participated in an illegal act for financial gain. While some played major roles, others were deemed naive and easily manipulated.
"Each of you was exploited by more experienced criminals who preyed on your foolish belief that you could make easy money," he stated.
The case underscores the continued efforts of law enforcement to dismantle international drug trafficking networks and prevent large-scale narcotics distribution.
