Woolwich Crown Court sentenced four men to a total of 49 years in prison on 17 January 2011 for running a drug and gun smuggling ring into Britain by lorry.[1] Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Central Task Force had run Operation Anner since January 2009 against Inan Uckac, whom they believed used German-based lorry drivers to smuggle drugs and firearms into the country.[1]

On 21 February 2010 officers stopped Bulgarian-based lorry driver Fikret Hyuseinov at Dover and found an assault rifle, a Beretta semi-automatic handgun, 186 kilograms of cannabis and 12 kilograms of amphetamine paste in his lorry.[1] Uckac was arrested at his home the same day, and a search of his workplace, ADA Motors in Islington, linked him to the smuggling.[1] Earlier, on 8 February 2010, officers had followed Taskin Sarsilmaz to Dudley, where Akmal Taj was stopped carrying four kilograms of heroin and arrested.[1]

Uckac, 38, and Hyuseinov, 52, each received 15 years after pleading guilty in December 2010 to conspiracy to supply class B drugs and possession of a prohibited firearm.[1] Sarsilmaz, 28, received 10 years and Taj, 27, nine years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs.[1] Detective Chief Inspector Peter Beyer said the investigation had disrupted a highly organised and dangerous criminal network.[1]