Bournemouth, Crime | Posted on April 17th, 2025 | return to news
Bournemouth cocaine dealer jailed
Robert Theophelus Smith has been jailed for four years and eight months having been found guilty of the importation of a class A drug.
Robert Theophelus Smith, 46 of Soberton Road, was sentenced to four years and eight months in jail on Friday 11 April at Bournemouth Crown Court following an investigation by the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU).
Smith came to the attention of law enforcement in March 2024 following the interception of a parcel by UK Border Force at Stansted Airport. The package, which had been sent from Jamaica, contained eight plastic bottles labelled as juice and syrups and an assortment of food items and was destined for an address in Studland Road in Bournemouth.
When tested, the eight bottles of liquid – four one-litre bottles and four-750ml bottles – confirmed the presence of cocaine. Through a process where it’s separated from the liquid, it was established that 5.5 kilos of cocaine could be retrieved from this shipment.
Smith was able to collect the package from the Studland Road address without arousing suspicion as he legitimately worked as a delivery driver for a national company and was driving a liveried van and wearing the company uniform.
Officers from SWROCU’s Regional Disruption Team (RDT) supported by Dorset Police, arrested Smith once he had collected the package.
Further investigations showed he had arranged the importation and collection of a further two packages between January and March 2024, which would have contained up to 20 kilos of cocaine once extracted from the liquid. Smith also admitted that he was due to receive further packages in the coming months.
Smith pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine and the importation of a class A drug.
DS Stuart Cumine of the RDT said: “We took prompt action following the intelligence provided by our Border Force colleagues to identify, apprehend and charge Smith, which would not have been possible without assistance from officers from Dorset Police.
“This is a serious importation of high purity class A drugs which we know cause misery and harm in our communities. Smith is no longer able to facilitate the movement of significant quantities of cocaine and we have been able to disrupt further illegal importations by this novel method.”
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