Swansea man jailed for 11 years for drug offences
October 23, 2025
Swansea man jailed for smuggling cannabis hidden in machinery
National Crime AgencyA man from Swansea has been sentenced to 11 years for drugs offences including trying to smuggle cannabis from South Africa.
Karl Richter, 52, from Fourth Avenue, Clase in Swansea admitted conspiracy around importing a controlled class B drug, which was found at a port in Essex, hidden inside machinery in a crate.
Richter was part of an organised criminal group which planned to smuggle 600 kilos of cocaine on a yacht taking part in a transatlantic sailing race, and imported more than half a tonne of cannabis.
He also admitted a second offence with a separate group, which was involved with conspiracy to supply cocaine.
Richter appeared via video link as he was sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court.
National Crime AgencyThe court heard that Richter was part of a gang which initially spent two years plotting to sail a vessel loaded with cocaine from St Lucia to Lagos in Portugal, during an annual sailing race.
Lee McClenaghan, 57, from Chelmsford, and his close associate, 55-year-old Lea Talbot, from Chadwell St Mary, Essex, organised the crime with a Venezuelan drug cartel boss.
However when the race was cancelled in May 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, McClenaghan explored smuggling multi-tonne quantities of cocaine from South America hidden in a shipping container loaded with fresh fruit and vegetables, and large quantities of cannabis from Morocco.
McClenaghan arranged two separate importations of cannabis to the UK, from Canada and South Africa, and was assisted by Richter who communicated with a South African contact, and worked with 60-year-old Kane Ward, from Upminster, Essex, who helped organise the planned importation.
Cameron Brown KC, prosecuting, said that Richter was a “very important link in the chain” between Ward and McClenaghan” as well as the South African importer of the drugs, proven through “patterns of phone calls and meetings”.
On 1 March 2022, officers at Tilbury Port, Essex uncovered 408 kilos of cannabis in a large plywood crate.
It contained a “precision machine lathe” but when officers separated the base, they found 408 silver wrapped packages in 1kg parcels containing cannabis which had come from South Africa.
The machine with the drugs inside was due to be delivered to Daniel Braithwaite and 61-year-old Paul Tozer, from Epping, Essex, whose textile business was to be the delivery address for the consignment.
National Crime AgencyRichter was also sentenced for conspiracy to supply a total of 40kg of cocaine with a separate group.
The court heard that included a journey in July 2023 when Richter drove a Mercedes van from Swansea to Coventry where it was met by another car in a supermarket car park.
A subsequent stop by officers found a box containing 7kg of cocaine which the court heard was 85-87% purity, indicating wholesale trade. The value at the time was £189,000.
Following his arrest the court heard that a search of Richter’s property found £4,000 in cash and various mobile phones as well as Class A and B drugs.
Cameron Brown KC, prosecuting, said in total £7,176 of drugs were recovered including nasal spray bottles which contained cocaine which were worth £6,720 pounds.
Officers were able to use ANPR data of the vehicle along with text messages to show he was undertaking multiple journeys to transport the drug.
While sentencing Judge Jamie Sawyer said that Richter was part of a “sophisticated and well planned attempt” to import a significant amount of cannabis and was a “crucial link” between the UK and South African operations.
He added that he “must have had some awareness of the scale of the operation”.
Judge Sawyer agreed that Richter “had made good use of his time in custody” but also had to consider aggravating factors “given the volume of drugs involved” and Richter’s four previous convictions, including for drug offending.
In total, Richter was sentenced to eight years and three months for conspiracy to supply cocaine.
He was also sentenced to two years and nine months for conspiracy to evade the prohibition on the importation of a controlled class B drug, which will run consecutively after.
In total, he said Richter was sentenced to 11 years imprisonment and will serve up to 40% of that time in custody with the remainder on licence.
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