Home   News   Article

Subscribe Now

Drug dealer stopped on M11 had £500,000 of cocaine in secret hydraulic compartment in his van




A drug dealer who hid cocaine worth up to £500,000 in a secret compartment in his van has been jailed after police stopped him on the M11.

Nicholas Zialor, 35, was jailed for five-and-a-half years following an investigation by the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU).

Nicholas Zialor, 35, of North Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, was jailed for five-and-a-half years on November 9, 2022, after cocaine worth up to £500,000 was found in a secret compartment in his van (60882818)
Nicholas Zialor, 35, of North Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, was jailed for five-and-a-half years on November 9, 2022, after cocaine worth up to £500,000 was found in a secret compartment in his van (60882818)

He was arrested in May when his van was stopped by ERSOU and Cambridgeshire Constabulary officers between Junctions 10 and 11 of the M11 near Duxford.

ERSOU’s specialist officers searched the van, uncovering a hydraulic hide under the floor behind the front seats which contained five packages, later confirmed to be kilogramme-sized blocks of cocaine.

The hydraulic system within the hidden compartment was operated electronically by a fob found in Zialor’s pocket.

If split into gram-sized deal portions the cocaine would have had a street value of between £400,000 and £500,000.

Cocaine found in the van of Nicholas Zialor, 35, of North Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, who was jailed for five-and-a-half years on November 9, 2022
Cocaine found in the van of Nicholas Zialor, 35, of North Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, who was jailed for five-and-a-half years on November 9, 2022

Zialor, of North Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, was charged with possession with intent to supply cocaine, to which he pleaded guilty.

Det Insp Dave Skarratts, from ERSOU’s regional organised crime unit, said: “There is no doubt that Zialor had gone to great lengths to cover up his illicit activities and it’s clear he was involved in moving substantial amounts of class A drugs.

“At ERSOU we have a number of specially trained detectives who are experts in the practices of drug dealers, and we use a variety of tactics to ensure that these criminals are stopped.

“Drug dealing has a huge impact across our communities and is directly linked to a wide range of other criminality, from gang violence and exploitation to burglary and robbery.

“That’s why we will continue to target those looking to bring these dangerous substances into our region and will do whatever we can to apprehend them.”



This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies - Learn More