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Luxury Watch Front: Drug Kingpin Sentenced to 15 Years

3/20/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Bertie Payne, 30, of Birchington, was sentenced to 15 years for coordinating a drug trafficking operation in east Kent from August 2024 to January 2025.
Payne coordinated the supply of 24kg cocaine, 10kg ketamine, and 5,000 ecstasy tablets.
He used a luxury watch business as a front and faked invoices to launder money.
Police recovered CCTV footage showing Payne counting cash.
He led seven men in the operation.

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Story summary

Bertie Payne, 30, of Birchington, was sentenced to 15 years for coordinating a drug trafficking operation in east Kent from August 2024 to January 2025.
Payne coordinated the supply of 24kg cocaine, 10kg ketamine, and 5,000 ecstasy tablets.
He used a luxury watch business as a front and faked invoices to launder money.
Police recovered CCTV footage showing Payne counting cash.
He led seven men in the operation.