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Despite his pretense of operating a legitimate furniture removal company, Arnold was, in fact, orchestrating the importation and distribution of large quantities of cocaine, heroin, and ketamine throughout Birmingham and beyond. The 29-year-old headed a network of criminals spanning from Lichfield and Tamworth to the Black Country.
Arnold’s opulent lifestyle, highlighted in the above video, included enviable trips to Dubai before eventually being apprehended by the police. Smirking confidently, Arnold admitted four charges of conspiracy to import and supply drugs (cocaine, heroin, and ketamine) at Birmingham Crown Court on Thursday, May 19.
While awaiting sentencing, the West Midlands Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCUWM) unveiled the extent of Arnold’s luxurious existence, funded by his illicit drug trade. Despite posing as the legitimate owner of a small company called Real Estates Removals, boasting a monthly turnover of £50,000, he embarked on luxurious escapades behind the wheel of a Ferrari and mingled with the rich and famous in the United Arab Emirates.
Arnold splurged on extravagant shopping sprees, acquiring expensive jewelry and enhancing his appearance with a stunning set of perfect teeth. The photos below proudly display his newfound purchases before his drug-running activities came crashing down.
These extravagant indulgences were completely incongruous with his fraudulent role as a removal company boss. However, everything unraveled when French Customs intercepted one of his drug shipments to Europe in January of the previous year.
The authorities discovered a staggering 71 kilograms of cocaine (63 blocks) and 101 kilograms of ketamine (99 bags), worth over £2.5 million, concealed within the Real Estate Removals van. Subsequent investigations revealed that Arnold and his team hid drugs in dummy loads of furniture, utilizing hidden compartments in their trucks and vans to smuggle drugs across international borders.
In April of the same year, Dutch police intercepted a shipment of 1,477 kilograms of cocaine hidden among bananas from Colombia destined for Portsmouth. This haul, valued at approximately £118 million, was connected to Arnold’s criminal operations.
Detective Chief Superintendent Jenny Skyrme, the head of the West Midlands Regional Organised Crime Unit, stated, “As the leader of the criminal group, Jonathan Arnold enjoyed a lavish lifestyle, driving luxury cars and indulging in trips to Dubai. However, his true activities involved organizing the importation of tens of millions of pounds worth of drugs from Europe and South America, which would have inflicted immeasurable misery and significant harm on communities.”
The pictures below captures the moment when Arnold was arrested by the police. Other members of Arnold’s gang, including supervisor James Jenkins (25 years old) from Lichfield Street, Tamworth, and HGV driver Connor Fletcher (25 years old) from Bridgnorth Road, Wolverhampton, were also found guilty of various charges related to drug conspiracy.
Fletcher, who embarked on an overnight trip near Amsterdam, returned with 60 kilograms of cocaine concealed within two secret compartments built into the floor of his truck.
