Love Island star revealed as 'business brain' of drug cartel after two jailed
A Love Island star who was revealed to be the "business brain" in a £53m drugs cartel has been locked up.
Magdalena Sadlo who was involved in a long-running operation spanning from Greater Manchester to Cumbria. admitted conspiring to supply cocaine, cannabis and ketamine; and conspiracy to launder money. She was jailed for 14 years.
The 30-year-old nicknamed 'Barbie' used her management skills to prepare criminal accounts for crime bosses based in the Middle East and in one message recovered by police quipped: "The devil works hard, but Barbie works harder."
Cartel members based in Dubai had masterminded a conspiracy to ship enormous sums of cocaine into the UK and Sadlo, star of the 2021 Polish version of Love Island, was drafted in to help, a court heard.
Detectives from the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit detained Sadlo as she flew into the UK on February 13, 2024.
Travelling first class with Emirates from Dubai, she was carrying a £130,000 rose gold Patek Phillipe watch, a £30,000 Rolex timepiece with Cartier bracelets and rings, bought with proceeds of crime, and a CV boasting her business acumen and qualifications.
As a courier for the gang, Sadlo repeatedly collected vast quantities of cocaine as it was imported into the port of Harwich.
A police drug expert concluded she could have trafficked almost 300kg of cocaine in seven trips, including 33kg to Manchester. Over several months, she transported it around England in BMWs during 'whistle-stop' tours.
Cocaine was stored initially in safe houses and then moved around the country by a team of trusted drivers for supply to addicts, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Sadlo was a trusted financial director, documenting many millions of pounds in drug transactions on spreadsheets. Mr Evans said: "She not only manages the profits, costs and expenses, but also manages the stock levels, the profit margins involved...no organised crime group at this level could operate or function without Magdalena Sadlo, or an equivalent, performing this role."
Sadlo was 'enthusiastically, relentlessly efficient in her accounting', the court heard, scolding major players when they did not meet her high standards. Officers also seized mobile phones and laptops with spreadsheets which showed ketamine and cannabis was also being supplied.
After Sadlo provided PIN details, officers also unearthed a mass of encrypted group chat messages. In these, she and other high ranking crooks discussed vast amounts of money linked to drug supply. On one phone, Sadlo made web searches for '50kg cocaine June news UK' and 'which countries have the death penalty for drugs'.
"She clearly knew the scale and seriousness of the trade she was engaging in," said Mr Evans.
Defence barrister, Peter Corrigan, said Sadlo disputed elements of the prosecution case. She had played a lesser criminal role than alleged, said Mr Corrigan, against the background of drug addiction. In a letter, Sadlo expressed remorse after falling on hard times. She was highly regarded by friends and family, the court heard.
Judge Barker concluded Sadlo, as a courier, was 'central' in the collection of drugs and their onward distribution. "I conclude there was gain and reward and in some way considerable to you," said Judge Barker.
"You are an intelligent woman and well understand risk and reward," he told the defendant. "I find you acted with real enthusiasm and sought to impress those at the top."
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Sadlo also managed encrypted communications with senior cartel members and maintained detailed spreadsheets tracking stock levels, customer payments, expenses, and profits. Messages recovered included one saying: "Having a good month, done 95895 in profit so far from orders."
Detective Superintendent Zoe Russo, NWROCU, said Operation Matrix began with the investigation of a drug dealer in Windermere, Cumbria, and led to a number of OCGs being dismantled.
She said: "Operation Matrix has resulted in the conviction of 13 individuals and prison sentences totalling over 140 years. These convictions strike a significant blow to the supply of drugs across the North West and the UK as we continue to remove top-end controllers of international drug supply.
"Magdalena Sadlo's arrest and conviction highlight the reach and complexity of this operation. She played a key role in managing international drug supply and laundering criminal profits, and will now face the consequences of her actions behind bars."
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