Drug traffickers jailed over Manchester Airport cocaine conspiracies

Four men have been jailed over cocaine-smuggling conspiracies centred on Manchester Airport, after a National Crime Agency investigation into two organised crime groups. The men sentenced were Albanians Elton Hallaci, 32, and Artur Iseberi, 27, and British nationals Dale Hosker, 49, and Dale Creen, 35.

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The case involved the collection of Class A drugs from airport couriers and the onward sale of the cocaine to other criminals across the country. The NCA said the American couriers were seven US citizens who had collected cocaine at Manchester Airport and transferred it to Hallaci, Iseberi, Hosker and Creen.

The couriers flew into Manchester from the United States without any luggage and waited for bags to arrive from Cancun, Mexico. The source states that on 11 May 2024, eight suitcases arrived at the airport and the couriers followed text message instructions from a US offender called Nate to collect specific suitcases containing hundreds of kilograms of cocaine.

According to the investigation, the couriers retrieved the suitcases from carousels, wheeled them outside and took taxis to a nearby hotel. There they passed five suitcases to Hallaci and Iseberi, and two suitcases to Hosker.

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One American courier left a case behind, and Border Force officers opened it and found 20 one-kilogram blocks of cocaine. The NCA investigation concluded that on that day Hallaci and Iseberi collected 100kg of cocaine, while Hosker collected 40kg.

The source also says a few weeks later, on 31 May, 300kg of high-purity cocaine with a street value of around GBP 24m was smuggled into Manchester Airport in 12 suitcases. Seven couriers were sent to collect them, but only one woman was successful.

She was directed to an address in Bury to hand over the drugs to Creen and Hosker. The other suitcases were seized and each contained between 22 and 24 blocks of cocaine as well as a tracking device.

Hallaci, Iseberi, Hosker and Creen were arrested on 17 June 2025 by NCA officers. During searches at Hallaci's home, officers found keys to a Jaguar parked outside.

The car had a professionally fitted hidden compartment between the rear seats and the boot that was used for smuggling drugs. Officers also found notepads containing detailed ledgers of cocaine importations.

The notebooks were written in Albanian, contained the fingerprints of Hallaci and Iseberi, and included references to handovers involving both men on 11 May. The ledgers set out how the drugs were to be divided, with 30kg going to Bradford, 35kg to London and 8kg to Birmingham.

NCA investigators also seized two other Jaguar cars belonging to the Albanian organised crime group, both fitted with after-market hides. The offenders were also captured on CCTV at Manchester Airport on the days of the importations, and one courier took a photograph of Hosker over his shoulder after the cocaine handover on 11 May.

On the day of the arrests, Iseberi tried to escape along the roof of his home. In Creen's bedroom, officers found an axe, a knife and a machete.

Hallaci, Iseberi and Hosker pleaded guilty to smuggling cocaine and possession of cocaine with intent to supply. Creen was convicted by a jury of possession of cocaine with intent to supply but acquitted of smuggling cocaine.

At Bolton Crown Court on Friday 15 May, Hallaci was sentenced to 21 years and seven months in jail, Iseberi to 18 years and Creen to 11 years. Hosker was not sentenced and is due to appear at the court on Monday 1 June.

NCA Branch Commander Cat McHugh said the agency works with partners at home and abroad to protect the public from the threat of Class A drugs and described the trade as linked to extreme violence and misery.

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