Drug trafficker imported a tonne of cocaine into UK

A drug trafficker responsible for importing a tonne of cocaine into the UK has been jailed.

Stephane Hassiakos, 55, was identified as playing a "leading role" in the importation of the Class A drug, particularly across the East Midlands, Leicestershire Police said.

Hassiakos, of Flixton Road, Flixton, Greater Manchester, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to evade prohibition on the importation of a Class A drug, conspiracy to supply a Class A controlled drug and conspiracy to transfer criminal property at Leicester Crown Court on 25 March.

Judge Ebraham Mooncey sentenced Hassiakos on Friday to 20 years in prison. He will be eligible for release with conditions after 40% of his sentence.

Sentencing Hassiakos, Judge Mooncey said drug supply and use caused "untold harm" on society and added: "It is a highly unsavoury enterprise".

When released from prison, Hassiakos was told he would be subject to a five-year travel restriction order - which prohibits him from leaving the country.

Prosecutor John Hallissey said throughout the indictment period - from October 2019 to June 2020 - Hassiakos operated a "thriving" cocaine business.

He told the court analysis of messages on a device from March to June 2020 showed the defendant was involved in the importation of 511kg of cocaine.

But Hallissey added it was the suggestion of the prosecution that "no less than a tonne of cocaine" was imported into the UK from October 2019 and June 2020, to which Judge Mooncey agreed.

The court also heard messages showed Hassiakos was involved in the movement of £7.3 million of criminal property.

The prosecutor told the court Hassiakos claimed to have 12 cars and two trucks working for him and had developed a "good relationship" with cocaine suppliers in the Netherlands.

Leicestershire Police said in 2024 officers launched an investigation into Hassiakos's offending after identifying him as the man behind one of the usernames operating on EncroChat.

The platform - used largely by organised crime groups - was infiltrated and dismantled as part of an international law enforcement operation in 2020, the force said.

The court heard the username being used by Hassiakos was originally identified as BrassBee during a separate investigation into cocaine supply in which 47 defendants were prosecuted between 2020 and 2024.

During this period officers said they established a significant proportion of Class A drugs were sourced from the same offshore EncroChat user.

After analysing evidence from the encrypted chat platform, including images of large quantities of cocaine and cash, detectives said they were able to show Hassiakos was using the platform to run his drug operation.

The court heard Hassiakos was arrested in Spain in July 2025 and was extradited to the UK in January.

Police said their investigation showed Hassiakos had been operating from Greece, coordinating the importation of large quantities of cocaine.

Through messages sent on EncroChat, officers said they were able to link him to a shipment of cocaine seized in Leicestershire in May 2020.

Defence barrister Sam Blom-Cooper said there was no evidence of offending beyond the middle of 2020 and said Hassiakos made a "conscious decision" to move away from offending, and "dedicated himself to family life".

"There was a realisation that he no longer wanted this part of his life," he said.

The court heard Hassiakos also had enhanced prisoner status at HMP Manchester, where the defence barrister said he was working while in custody.

Det Sgt Chris Sewell said prosecuting Hassiakos was "hugely significant".

"He was involved in importing vast quantities of cocaine to the UK and was operating at the highest level of organised crime.

"It was clear from the evidence gathered during a separate investigation that a significant proportion of the Class A drugs being supplied to those criminals was being sourced from someone outside of the country - but at that point we didn't know who this person was.

"Images and conversations recovered from his EncroChat data were able to show the true extent of the operation and over an eight-month period we were able to evidence the importation of 1,000kg of cocaine and the movement of millions of pounds."

In the sentencing hearing, Judge Mooncey set out a proceeds of crime timetable, with a mention hearing scheduled for 20 November.

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