Gary Vickery, a 43-year-old from Solihull, was a central figure in the Kinahan organized crime group's UK arm, believing himself untouchable. Now he is serving a 20-year prison sentence for his role in a massive drug smuggling operation.
The Kinahan Gang's UK Boss
Thomas "Bomber" Kavanagh, 58, acted as the UK leader for Ireland's powerful Kinahan cartel, operating from a bulletproof mansion near Tamworth. He is currently serving 21 years for a £30 million drug smuggling conspiracy that involved hiding cocaine and cannabis in machinery consignments. Kavanagh attempted to reduce his sentence by leading police to a fake weapons cache, which added another six years to his term.
Vickery's Role and Sentence
Gary Vickery, formerly of Solihull, was sentenced alongside Kavanagh in 2022 after both admitted conspiring to import cocaine and cannabis, as well as money laundering. The National Crime Agency (NCA) investigation began after Irish police arrests in January 2017. In October 2017, NCA officers intercepted 15 kg of cocaine and 200 kg of cannabis hidden in two tarmac removal machines at Dover.
A judge determined that Kavanagh and Vickery made over £20 million combined from their crimes. Kavanagh was ordered to forfeit more than £1.1 million, while Vickery must pay nearly £1.1 million. Failure to pay could result in an additional 12 years for Kavanagh and two years for Vickery.
Reactions from Authorities
Chief Crown Prosecutor Adrian Foster stated: "Thomas Kavanagh and Gary Vickery are dangerous criminals in the organized gang world, importing millions of pounds worth of dangerous drugs on an industrial scale. This successful £1 million confiscation order demonstrates our commitment to cross-border cooperation to strip criminals of their illegal gains."
Kay Mellor, Head of Operations at the NCA, added: "Kavanagh and his gang believed they were untouchable, but that proved to be their downfall. They will be behind bars for many years and must now pay back over £1 million. We will continue to target, disrupt, and dismantle organized crime groups."
