UK-based Indian-origin couple gets 33 years for multi-million pound cocaine trafficking

In a chilling narrative reminiscent of acclaimed TV crime dramas like ‘Ozark,’ an Indian-origin couple based in the UK, Arti Dhir, 59, and Kavaljitsinh Raijada, 35, from Ealing, West London, have been sentenced to 33 years in prison each. Their crime? Orchestrating a multi-million-pound drug trafficking operation that spanned continents, showcasing a level of deceit and complexity straight out of a Hollywood script.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) unveiled the couple’s elaborate scheme when the Australian Border Force intercepted over half a tonne of cocaine, valued at an astonishing 57 million pounds, hidden within metal toolboxes. This discovery in May 2021 led back to Dhir and Raijada, who had established Viefly Freight Services as a front for their smuggling network. The seized narcotics were part of a consignment dispatched via a commercial flight from the UK, destined for the streets of Sydney.

Despite their denials, the evidence against Dhir and Raijada was overwhelming. Raijada’s fingerprints on the packaging and receipts at their residence linked them directly to the crime, with the NCA uncovering a pattern of 37 consignments sent to Australia, 15 of which contained cocaine. Their prior employment at a Heathrow flight services company was exploited to facilitate their illicit activities, leveraging insider knowledge to evade detection.

Further investigation revealed the couple’s opulent lifestyle, funded by their criminal empire. Almost 3 million pounds in cash and gold-plated silver bars were found in a storage unit, alongside luxury purchases including a flat in Ealing and a Land Rover. The intricate money laundering operation involved nearly 740,000 pounds deposited into 22 different bank accounts, belying their reported modest profits.

Adding to their notoriety, Dhir and Raijada face extradition to India over allegations of murdering their adopted son, Gopal Sejani, in a plot eerily akin to ‘Breaking Bad’ storylines. The couple’s adoption of Gopal in 2015, followed by his tragic death in February 2017, underscores the depths of their criminal endeavors, from international drug trafficking to a sinister murder plot for insurance money.

The case of Arti Dhir and Kavaljitsinh Raijada is a stark reminder of the dark underbelly of international drug trafficking, showcasing how seemingly ordinary individuals can mastermind crimes of immense complexity and scale. Their operation, leveraging insider industry knowledge for illicit gain, mirrors the fictional narratives of ‘Ozark’ and ‘Breaking Bad,’ yet with real-world consequences that have shattered lives and spanned global jurisdictions. This saga underscores the relentless efforts of law enforcement agencies worldwide to combat the scourge of international drug smuggling and money laundering.