Robert Fuller, a 50-year-old man from Barton Turf, was involved in a drug smuggling operation that included importing large amounts of cocaine and cannabis into the UK using money laundered from his car sales firm. He planned to traffic the drugs using recovery trucks and runners dressed in fake Deliveroo outfits to remain undetected by police. Investigators began to unravel his plot after uncovering encrypted messages in which he outlined his plans. Fuller, also known as “the drugs lord of the Broads,” used the now-defunct messaging service EncroChat, primarily used by organized crime gangs, to orchestrate his operation.
Fuller fled overseas to Bali as the authorities began to close in on him. He was ultimately arrested in January last year while attempting to re-enter the UK after arriving by ferry on Anglesey from the Republic of Ireland. He was sentenced to 12 years in jail after appearing at Norwich Crown Court on October 31. He had organized his operation using the messaging service EncroChat, and planned to outfit drug runners in fake Deliveroo uniforms and import liquid cocaine from Peru disguised as asparagus, among other illicit activities.
After the dismantling of EncroChat in 2020, Fuller fled to Bali. Investigation continued and police found the fake Deliveroo uniforms mentioned in his chats, as well as a vehicle with secret compartments to stash drugs in. He was charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine and cannabis, and he pleaded guilty to both offenses in April before his sentencing. Detective Inspector Jim Fincham from ERSOU’s regional organized crime unit remarked on the extent of Fuller’s criminal activity and praised the investigators for their diligent work in bringing him to justice.
Despite Barton Turf being a small and relatively unspoiled village, it became the base for Fuller’s drug smuggling operation. The village, with a population of fewer than 500 people, is known for its close proximity to Barton Broad, the second largest of the Broads and a popular area for sailing and other water activities. Fuller’s organization involved smuggling and distributing 159kg of cocaine, worth around £6,500,000, and 98kg of cannabis, worth around £364,000, between February 2019 and June 2020.
