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Three men who used the Royal Mail to post drugs across the world have been jailed.
Brothers James and Charles Willoughby, along with their accomplice Mac Cheremeh, posted crack cocaine, heroin, MDMA, cannabis, Ketamine, LSD, crystal meth, amphetamine and ecstasy to addresses in the UK, Australia and USA.
The Royal Mail intercepted around 1,800 parcels that had been posted from Brentwood and Chelmsford in November and December 2018.
The drugs had an estimated street value of up to £517,500.
Mac Cheremeh pictured depositing envelopes filled with cannabis into a Royal Mail postbox in Brentwood
Suspicions were first raised when 54 parcels arrived at a sorting office over the course of four days, all of them smelling strongly of cannabis.
In December of 2018, officers arrested Charles Willoughby minutes after he was seen posting envelopes into a post box in London Road, Brentwood.
The packages were found to contain cannabis.
Envelopes filled with drugs in Brentwood. Photo: Essex Police
On the same day, officers executed a search warrant at a flat he rented in Rollason Way, Brentwood, where his brother James Willoughby attempted to flee police by jumping from a balcony but was arrested.
Inside the house were large boxes of padded envelopes and cannabis.
Officers also searched a flat in Watson Heights, Chelmsford, an address linked to Cheremeh and James Willoughby, where they found more cannabis and £1,000 cash.
Some of the recovered Cannabis. Photo: Essex Police
The men were selling large quantities of ecstacy. Photo: Essex Police
They also searched a house linked to James Willoughby in Broomfield Road, Chelmsford, where they found packaging items and the drugs.
James Willoughby, 27, of Islay Walk, Islington, and Cheremeh, 42, of Lingwood Road, Hackney, each admitted three charges of conspiracy to supply class A drugs and two charges of conspiracy to supply class B drugs when they appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court in January.
James Willoughby. Photo: Essex Police
Mac Cheremeh. Photo: Essex Police
Charles Willoughby, 32, of Rollason Way, Brentwood, admitted conspiracy to supply a class B drug.
On Wednesday, August 19 James Willoughby and Cheremh were each sentenced to for ten years’ imprisonment.
Charles Willoughby was given an eight-month jail term, suspended for two years. As per Essex Police policy, a custody picture of him has not been released as his sentence was less than 12 months.
The drugs, paraphernalia, mobile phones and computer and technical equipment used in their operation were seized and will be destroyed.
A Proceeds of Crime hearing will be held in due course.
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